


The Phantom Thief and His Detective

by FishMum



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Detectives, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Gen, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Murder, Mystery, Panic Attacks, Phantom Thief AU, Rival Relationship, Sad Saihara Shuichi, depressed and anxious detective, half of this story is shuichi suffering oop, kokichi has zero impulse control, kokichi is scared of emotions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 100,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23549191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FishMum/pseuds/FishMum
Summary: Danganronpa Phantom Thief AU"Why bother doing it yourself though? You're right in front of me. I could tear off your mask right here, right now." The detective threatened, looking up at the hand that was holding the can to his head.The thief glanced towards the door, ensuring that none of the other D.I.C.E members were there to take the threat seriously and spoil his fun. Once he confirmed no one was there, he turned back to Shuichi, with a smirk he couldn't see."We both know you wouldn't do that."Shuichi raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"The Supreme Leader could only laugh as he leaned his face right next to the detective's."Do it then."The Ultimate Detective, Shuichi Saihara has always seen the Phantom Thief as his enemy, and number one case. He doesn't expect that to change the way it does.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi & DICE, Oma Kokichi & Saihara Shuichi, Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 179
Kudos: 619





	1. The Game is Afoot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Thief is excited to play yet another game with Detective Saihara, but things don't go as planned.

The detective sighed, allowing himself to sink into the cushions of his bed. Another day, another game with the Phantom Thief.  
Shuichi huffed, his eyes made their way to a certificate on his wall, the one that officially declared him the "Ultimate Detective". He never felt like he could live up to that title. Sure, he solved a couple of cases before the police did, and uncovered murders alongside his uncle, but he was sure anyone could have done that if they had been at the right place at the right time. He figured it was because of his age that people were impressed, he was only eighteen after all.

Either way, the Phantom Thief had him stumped. He and his gang suddenly appeared a few months back, and Shuichi just so happened to be helping his uncle with a case of a stolen ancient scroll from the Ultimate Anthropologist.  
He was unlucky enough to come face to face with the thief during that case, and ever since, they had run into each other over and over again as if they were arch enemies. That was certainly how the press perceived it, the public couldn't get enough of them – to the point they would call them the modern day Sherlock and Moriarty.

But what kind of detective was Shuichi supposed to be if he couldn't figure out the identity of his "nemesis"?  
He stood up, walking to his desk. There, he pulled out the file he had on the Phantom Thief, and skimmed through all the information he had on him.

Name unknown. Male in mid to late teens. About 5'1 in height. Hair color believed to be a deep purple shade. Leader of the organization proclaimed as "D.I.C.E".  
That was it. That was all he had on him. Other things about him weren't related to his identity - like the fact that he would call Shuichi his "beloved detective", and how he constantly treated his heists like a game. Not to mention the extravagant outfit he wore - white suit with his group's logo, small chains attached to the suit, black cape, black gloves, top hat with what seemed to be a checkered scarf tied around it, and a mask that he always wore to completely hide his face. He dressed as if he were some sort of antagonist in some teenage mystery drama from the 80's.

Shuichi sighed yet again, admiring the picture of the thief that was pinned onto the file.  
He would never ever admit it to anyone, not even his best friends, but a part of him did enjoy the games and challenges that the Phantom Thief riddled him with. He was different, so different from the classic cases he'd get. As much as he wanted to uncover his identity and win the game, he didn't completely want it to end.

Ah, but that was crazy talk, wasn't it?  
The detective dozed off on his bed, his mind on the mysterious Phantom Thief.

~🌺~

The ringing of his phone woke him up.  
Shuichi groaned, looking up at the clock on the wall. It was just about 7 in the morning.  
Stretching tiredly, he answered his phone, putting the speaker on so he could change into fresh clothes as he spoke.  
"Hello?"

"Saihara.. do you recall the plans of the heist that the D.I.C.E organization are planning to go through with?"

Shuichi yawned quietly, as he buttoned up his shirt. "The mm... the plans to steal that gem from the ah.. what was it, some kind of museum of ancient relics or whatnot?"

"Precisely. One of our men is believed to have eyes on D.I.C.E's vehicle heading towards there now. A car is waiting for you downstairs, please arrive at once. I think we've got him this time."

Shuichi nodded, despite the man on the phone not being able to see him. "Understood.."  
He hung up the phone and pulled his coat on, sighing. He doubted this was the day they'd catch him, but perhaps those were his own wishes speaking. Grabbing his hat and putting it on his head, the detective made his way downstairs, and hopped into the vehicle that was sent for him.

On the ride to the museum, Shuichi pondered what kind of game the Phantom Thief had in store today.

Upon arrival, a man in a black suit and bullet proof vest greeted the detective.  
"Detective Saihara, please, follow me." He spoke, he led Shuichi to the inside of the museum via a side door, and explained the details of the operation as they walked.  
"The police has the place surround. Hidden in the surrounding buildings, parking lots and whatnot. We definitely got 'im this time, they wont see it comin'."

Knowing the Phantom Thief, Shuichi begged to differ. He bet he already knew. He probably has the police surrounded with his own men. Hell, he's probably already in the building.  
But Shuichi didn't say that. Instead, he nodded quietly in response.

The man led him to where the gem's display case was. A few other men were there, each of them sporting black vests and guns.  
Shuichi walked up to the display, looking at the velvet encased ropes that kept people from getting close to the glass.  
"May I?" He asked one of the men. The man looked to another for confirmation, and received a nod. They opened up the path for him to get a better look. Shuichi mumbled a thank you, and walked up to the glass case. His eyes scanned the gem, it was shimmery and shone some kind of rose-gold color. It was almost... too shimmery.  
"H-Hold on, something's off about—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a terrifying noise came from outside, it was loud, a few more bangs followed it.  
"Shit! Gunshots!" The men in the vests, shouted, running out to the field. Clearly no one had expected the heist to start so early, or to be seemingly.. violent.

After calming himself, Shuichi scrunched his nose slightly, something was off about those shots. They were much too deep, echoed all too much, and Shuichi could have sworn he heard a crackle at the end.  
"W-Wait-!! Those aren't gunsh—"

"Neeheeheeh!" The familiar laugh rang.

Shuichi paused, suddenly noticing he was alone in the room. Well, not entirely alone. He turned around, and there he was, extravagant outfit and all.  
The Phantom Thief.

"I knew you were so much smarter than them.. That's my beloved detective for ya~" the thief spoke, despite having a mask cover his face, Shuichi knew he was smiling under there.

"You really are built up on lies, aren't you?.." The detective huffed, glancing at the gem in the case.

"You know it!" The thief almost hopped up and down in his place, excitedly. "Let's hear, let's hear it detective! What have you got?"

"..Well- those gunshots,, they weren't gunshots, they were fireworks, weren't they?" Shuichi asked, despite being almost certain.

"Ahh! So smart, exactly what I expected!" He clasped his hands together, laughing to himself. The sounds of the fireworks going off in the background echoed.

"And..." Shuichi added, the thief stopped laughing to listen, wondering what else he had to say.  
"That... that isn't the real gem." The detective point at the gem in the case.

"Oh dear... you're getting a little too good at this, don't you think Saihara?" The Phantom Thief tilted his head, Shuichi could still sense the smile on his face.

"You got me!" He held up his hands. Shuichi's eyes widened upon noticing the gem in his left hand, out in the open.

"That's a bit risky, isn't it?" Shuichi questioned him, tilting his head as he kept his eyes fixated on the gem.

"Maybe, but honestly, what are you gonna do about it~?" The thief teased, twirling the gem amongst his slim fingers.  
Shuichi stood in place. The Phantom Thief wanted to know what he'd do next. He knew that he was posing a challenge, the gem was right there for Christ's sake. The only reason he held it in front of him was so that he could challenge Shuichi to wrestle it out of his hands himself. Shuichi knew it, and so did the thief.  
The real question was what he really was going to do. The most viable answer was to call for back up, Shuichi wasn't especially fast or strong, and he could most definitely get hurt.

The doors to the room they were in were suddenly banged on, Shuichi wondered when the thief even managed to lock them.  
"Open up!" A muffled man's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Ah... I guess that's my queue." The thief pouted under his mask. "Too bad, I was hoping you'd be up for it.." He sighed, turning his back on the detective, waving the gem in the air. "See you later my beloved!"

Was this really what Shuichi decided? This... was too boring, too easy.. it wasn't the challenge he wanted.  
So he decided to believe, no, he decided to trust that the Phantom Thief would go easy on his so-called beloved detective.

Shuichi made up his mind, and ran towards the shorter male. The thief noticed the sudden change in his position, and laughed.  
"Yes! I knew you wouldn't be boring!" His laugh echoed as he ran up the stairs to the museum's roof. Shuichi trailed close behind, the training he did with Kaito and Maki paid off, as he managed to catch up with the rather agile Phantom Thief.

The two reached the roof, anyone else would believe that the thief was cornered, but no, Shuichi knew he always had his ways to escape.  
The thief ran with glee, adrenaline coursed through his veins as he gripped on to the gem tightly. He didn't expect to suddenly fall to the ground.  
Shuichi managed to grab hold of the thief's cape, causing him to fall over onto the roof's rough pavement. With his luck of course, the detective fell right onto the thief. It was probably the closest they had ever been to each other.

At this point the thief got slightly nervous, he didn't expect Shuichi to make it this far, but that's what made this all the more exciting. He kept the gem tightly encased in his fist, holding it away from the detective.  
Shuichi reached for the gem, he was so close, he was right next to him—  
He was right next to him.  
This was his chance, the thief was preoccupied with keeping the gem out of reach, this meant Shuichi could take off his mask to reveal his identity, to answer Shuichi's number one question, and that's exactly what he intended to do.  
In a sudden reflex, Shuichi's hand shot towards the mask—

But he was knocked out unconscious before he could pry it off.

~🌸~

"Wh— What the hell?!" The masked thief shrieked, looking at the now unconscious detective on top of him.  
One of his henchmen, another member of D.I.C.E, stood above them both, adjusting his mask.

"What the fuck did I say about violence?!" The Supreme Leader shouted at his comrade, who started to regret his actions.  
"I-I know boss but— He was about to remove your mask! What did you expect me to do?!"

The leader growled at him, turning his attention to the detective once again. He set a hand on his cheek, studying the forming bruise, and his now bloody nose.  
"No one lays a hand on my beloved detective, understand?" He spat. His comrade only nodded in reply.

Both of their heads turned at the sound of a police officer with a megaphone.  
"Members of D.I.C.E! We have the place surrounded. Give yourselves up or we'll be forced to detain you."

The two simply rolled their eyes, bored of the police officer's attempts to threaten them.  
"Let's go."

~🌸~

Shuichi's head throbbed intensely as he slowly regained his consciousness. He groaned, lifting up his hand to rub his forehead. "Where the hell..." He muttered, looking around the unfamiliar room he was in. The room was... normal to say the least. It was quite messy though, there were many crumpled up sheets of paper and empty cans of Panta lying around.

"Ah, Saihara! You're awake!" A familiar voice rang. In front of the detective, came forth the Phantom Thief once again, only in a less extravagant outfit. He now wore white clothing with different colored buttons and a checkered scarf. The mask he had earlier still remained on his face. Though for the first time, Shuichi saw the thief's hair clearly, since he wasn't wearing his over-the-top top hat. It was somewhat messy, and shone a deep purple hue.

"Wh...Where am I—?" The detective questioned the Supreme Leader, who walked over to him.

"In D.I.C.E's secret lair! Neeheeheeh~! That's a lie of course, it's not our main lair. Just the closest one we had to that museum."

Shuichi looked at him, dumbfounded at the situation. "Am.. Am I a hostage—?"

The thief could only laugh, setting his arms behind his head. "Now why would I hold my beloved detective hostage? How would you be able to do detective work then? Nah, I just brought you here to care for your wounds. I don't tolerate violence caused by my group!" He huffed, scowling under the mask, he kneeled down in front of the detective, tilting his head. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm... decent. I guess.." He mumbled in reply, his eyes fixated on the Supreme Leader's locks.

He could only giggle at the curious detective. "Aw, excited to see something new, are you now? Well then, I don't think I should be the only exposed one here!" The thief exclaimed, before pulling off Shuichi's hat.

"H-Hey-! Give it back—" The detective reached for it to get it back, to no avail.

"This stupid hat hides all your delicate features Saihara... you look much better now!" The thief smiled under the mask. He put the detective's hat on top of his own head. "I'll keep this as a souvenir." He giggled. Shuichi didn't seem too amused.  
Before he could scold the thief some more, Shuichi groaned as he held his head, where he felt a small bump that hurt when he touched it. The Phantom Thief tilted his head, then looked on the top of his head.  
"See? That dumb hat kept me from seeing this injury! You're welcome~!" He hummed. Before Shuichi could answer, the thief ran out of the room, then quickly returned with a cold can of Panta. He kneeled down in front of the detective and gently pressed up the can against the injury.  
"Sorry, would have given you an ice pack buttttt, all our first-aid supplies are in our main base!" He giggled slightly. "This'll have to suffice."

Shuichi watched the thief, almost dumbfounded.  
"Why— Why are you doing this? Why didn't you just leave me with the police?"

The Supreme Leader laughed a little. "I may be a liar, but I never lie when I say that you're my beloved detective! I'll admit, I have a bit of a soft spot for you Shu.."

The detective huffed, not sure how much he believed him.  
"Why bother doing it yourself though? You're right in front of me. I could tear off your mask right here, right now." He threatened, looking up at the hand that was holding the can to his head.

The thief glanced towards the door, ensuring that none of the other D.I.C.E members were there to take the threat seriously and spoil his fun.  
Once he confirmed no one was there, he turned back to Shuichi, with a smirk he couldn't see.  
"We both know you wouldn't do that."

Shuichi raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"

The Supreme Leader could only laugh as he leaned his face right next to the detective's.  
"Do it then."

Shuichi was taken aback, not expecting the thief to be so on board with the idea. He kept his hand from shaking as he raised it to the mask, setting a hand on it. He couldn't bring himself to take it off.  
The thief's smirk could only widen. "See?"

Shuichi sighed, dropping his hand. "..How'd you know?"

"You know, I don't think we're all that different, Saihara. We're both keeping each other going, for the thrill! That's why you couldn't take off my mask, yeah? Because it'd be boring. It'd be predictable. Our games would end and I'd be behind bars, and you'd be bored once again, solving stupid robberies and missing child cases. And let's be honest, you are my beloved detective, and I'm your beloved thief, no matter how much you don't want to admit it."

Shuichi sighed, not knowing how to reply. He had been called out, and denying it to the Phantom Thief's face would be no use.

"Boss." A voice rang from the doorway, another masked man in white stood there, another member of D.I.C.E.  
"We.. have a problem.."

The Leader sighed, putting the can of Panta in Shuichi's hands and standing up. "I won't be long detective!" He hummed, walking out of the room and closing the door behind him, leaving Shuichi alone in the room.  
The detective took the chance to look around the room for possible clues. He made his way to a brightly colored closet, opening it up. Unsurprisingly, there were a couple of outfits that he recognized. The Phantom Thief had worn some of these in the past. There was a selection of different black and white top hats, and every clothing item had the D.I.C.E insignia on it. The Phantom Thief seemed to be a fan of checkered patterns, as all of the outfits had some variation of it. In addition to the outfits, there was a large selection of different masks, all with strange designs and faces that resembled a clown's.

Shuichi closed the closet, not finding anything exclusively of interest. He spotted some papers on a desk, curiously, he flipped through them. Each page had some kind of childish drawing of elaborate, over-the-top inventions that not even sci-fi movies would think of. Seriously, not even the Ultimate Inventor could accomplish some of these unrealistic blueprints. Shuichi shuddered at the memory of the time he met the Ultimate Inventor. She was indeed a genius, but she was also..... strange.

His thoughts were interrupted by talking coming from outside the room, he was curious to what the so-called "problem" was, so he pressed his ear up against the door to hear what the members of D.I.C.E were talking about.

"They're here. They have the building surrounded boss.. Probably tracked the detective's damned phone." A male's voice spoke.

"Ugh, damn it." The Supreme Leader hissed. "We need to get outta here."

"We can't just walk out—" A female's voice spoke up. "They value that detective as much as you do, boss, they'll do everything to get him back.."

The thief could only laugh. "No one values him as much as I do. Do the cops have eyes on the windows and roof too?" He questioned.

The female and male nodded. "Every one. Should we.. make a run for it? Jump off the roof and run to the other base?"

"We can't just leave!" A different girl spoke up. "The others are out at the shops, stocking up on food- Are we just going to let them come back right into the cop's arms??"

The leader shook his head. "No. Nobody gets left behind." His tone became much more serious all of a sudden, realizing that this was a bad situation.  
A few of the members began to all speak at once, each offering different solutions that contradicted the other.

"Just- Just shut the fuck up for a second!" The Phantom Thief raised his voice in a way that was rare for him. He was so used to it being a game, being easy, that he was suddenly overwhelmed by this problem.  
"Look. As long as the cops think we're going to hurt the detective they won't do anything rash- But if we don't do anything soon we're fucked!"

"...Do you think this'll be the end, boss?"

"No. No, no it won't be- just give me more time- J— Just let me think- I'll figure something out-" The thief's tone became desperate and anxious. It.... pained the detective to hear him like that. And he agreed, it wasn't fair for it to end like this. He could tell, the supreme leader deeply cared for his group. They were... a family.

And he was his beloved thief.

~🌺~

About twenty minutes passed, the Supreme Leader looked through the blinds every now and then, only to see the police camping outside the building.  
He had sent messages out to the D.I.C.E members that were outside of the lair doing errands, warning them to not near the building. He was stumped. He had a few ideas in mind, but they were all flimsy in one way or another. He fumbled with the hat that he had taken from the detective anxiously.  
Was this the end for his organization? The end of his fun? The end of his meetings with his beloved detective? It couldn't be.. He just needed to think of something, just one goddamn idea, it couldn't be the e—

"Neeheeheeh~!" A familiar laugh rang. The Supreme Leader's head shot up in confusion, for he didn't laugh. It came from outside, the laugh was distorted and loud, seemingly from a megaphone. The thief ran to the window, peeking through the blinds in confusion, the other five D.I.C.E members that were with him joined him at the window, looking out to where the police were.

The police were no longer looking at the building, all of their heads turned to the source of the distorted laugh.

A figure stood atop one of the cars in the parking lot, he wore a white outfit with the D.I.C.E insignia, an extravagant long cape, top hat, gloves, and of course, a mask. Anyone could easily mistake the figure for the real Phantom Thief.  
He held a colorful megaphone, the Supreme Leader recognized it. It was a megaphone that purposely distorted the user's voice, he used it back when he first began his heists.

"Boss! Who the hell—"

"Shh!" The leader shushed his comrade, looking to what the imposter had to say.

"How goddamn pathetic can you be?!" The figure laughed as he spoke. "I knew you dodo heads were nothing like my beloved detective, but I actually didn't think you were that stupid~" He adjusted his mask, and put a hand on his hip.  
"I'm really sorry to ruin your fun, but to be fair, you ruined mine. It physically pained me to see you fall for the oldest trick in the book-"

The police officers were not only baffled at seeing the Phantom Thief stand in front of them when they had assumed he was inside the building, but they were also confused at what he was getting at.

The imposter groaned audibly, shaking his head. "Let me spell it out for you. I. Tricked. You! I mean, did you guys seriously fall for the phone signal coming from the empty building trick?! You really are nothing without your detective, are you?" He laughed. "I'll give him back, don't you worry~ He's the only one I care about anyways, you guys are just a waste of time. You should be god damn grateful I made the time to come here and tell you." He waved his hand dismissively, turning around. "I'll be off then, I have a detective to return."  
The figure jumped off the car, dropped the megaphone on the ground, and ran off. The police shouted at him to return, and began to follow the imposter.

The D.I.C.E members in the building were more baffled than the police were. They watched the police cars drive off to find the imposter, who seemingly disappeared.  
The members looked to their leader for an answer, yet he was just as speechless as them. He took off his mask, feeling the hat he had on his head.  
"There's only one person it could've been." The Supreme Leader smirked, putting together the pieces as he realized the identity of the imposter.

The D.I.C.E members followed him as he walked to the room Shuichi was kept in, he opened the door to an empty room.

"Naughty detective." His smirk could only widen as his eyes made his way to the open closet and the open window.

"But why would he—?" One of his comrades questioned in a confused manner.

"Neeheeh~! That's my beloved detective for you! He knows a good case when he sees one, doesn't he?" The leader looked at his friends with love struck eyes.

"Shit Kokichi, you really do like him, don't you?"

The leader smiled, taking the detective's hat into his hands. "What, you just figured it out?"

~🌸~

The detective panted heavily as he arrived at his apartment. He hadn't run like that since that one time he lost a bet to Kaito. It was especially hard with the outfit he had on, he wondered how the Phantom Thief wore this on a regular basis.

He couldn't help but smile to himself though. He couldn't believe what he just did, the risk he took to protect a criminal. The adrenaline gave him a rush that he had never really gotten before. He took off the mask so he could breathe better, once again wondering how the thief could wear this regularly.

He sighed, assuming that the police would be at his door soon to check if the imposter was true to his words. He decided to use the time to take a refreshing shower and change into his usual clothes.  
After the shower, he got dressed and looked in the mirror, remembering that the Phantom Thief stole his hat. He always wore it to avoid looking people in the eye, he never had that courage. But he felt different today, looking back at what he pulled off. He stood right in front of the police, his uncle, his coworkers, and tricked them all into believing he was the Phantom Thief.  
He could do without the hat. Besides, the thief did say he looked better without it...

~🌺~

Shuichi laid on his bed, tired out of his mind after the long ass day. He just finished a long interview with the police, and managed to convince them that he was fine and that the "Phantom Thief" returned him to his place safely.

He closed his eyes, feeling the cool night breeze from his open window. He had to ensure that no one ever found out about what he did. He made sure to tuck the outfit and mask he stole from the lair deep into his closet.  
With everything he had to do done, he sighed in relief knowing he was going to sleep well tonight. He shut his eyes tightly, excited to doze off.

"That was quite the convincing performance, my beloved.." A familiar voice spoke.

Shuichi's eyes shot open, he sat up, spotting the masked thief on his windowsill.  
"A-Ah— Thanks,,," He looked downwards, not even knowing how to react.

The Supreme Leader hopped into his room, putting his arms behind his head. Shuichi noticed he was wearing his hat.  
"You really did surprise me, I'm super impressed!" The thief laughed, smiling widely under his mask. "This is exactly why I love you, detective! So unpredictable!"

Shuichi couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face. "..It's risky for you to be here... We're not friends, you know that right?"

"Of course, of course! I know we're not friends." The thief walked up to the detective, taking off the hat and setting it on his head. "We're soulmates~"

The detective could only roll his eyes, but he removed the hat, putting it back on the Supreme Leader's head.  
"Keep it. I don't need it anymore.." He smiled at him.

The leader nodded, tipping the hat. "I'll cherish it." He looked back at Shuichi, there was a still silence between them.

The thief set his hand on his mask, he lifted it up slightly, not enough to show his face, but enough so that his mouth was visible. Shuichi could only stare in surprise. That was nothing compare to what the thief did next though.

The Phantom Thief planted a kiss onto the detective's cheek, he smiled at him, the smile visible to the detective for the first time.  
He stood there dumbfounded, processing what just happened.

The thief giggled a little, lowering his mask back down once again. "I look forward to our next game."

"Y...Yeah..." The detective replied, still speechless.

The thief skipped to his window, tipping his hat at the detective, before jumping to another roof. He took one last look at the detective, admiring him standing at the window.

The detective waved at him, with a rose-gold gem in his hand.

The Supreme Leader was taken aback, surprised at his success to steal the gem back.  
But he just laughed, holding up a thumbs up to the detective.  
"You're full of surprises today, my love!" He smiled, running off.

The detective sighed with a smile, setting his hand on the cheek the thief kissed. He recognized the feeling that fluttered in his heart.  
"Shit."


	2. Save the Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detective and famed thief are back at it again, their games never get old. During their latest game, the Phantom Thief makes a strange proposition.

Shuichi leaned on his hand, sighing. The latest case he got had him stumped, he'd been working on it for a month now. It was the biggest case— besides the Phantom Thief of course —he had ever gotten. A young man just about his age reached out to him, filing in not one, but twelve missing person cases.  
Because of how big the case was, Shuichi hadn't been called to any crime scenes caused by the Phantom Thief in the past month, and he had to confess to himself, he kind of missed his games. He almost got jealous of the other, more amateur detectives who were sent to the Phantom Thief's crimes instead of him.

He sighed, shaking his head. No, this wasn't the time to think about it. He had to get a lead on the twelve missing sisters. The detective leaned back in his chair, spinning it around as he looked through each individual sister's file.

After reading all the information he had over and over, the detective groaned in annoyance, feeling as though he wasted the last hour of his life learning no new information. There was something, there must have been something, a lead, a clue...

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone, he was relieved to have something else to think about for a moment.  
He looked at the contact, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. It was one of the head detectives, the one who usually would take Shuichi with him on Phantom Thief cases.

He answered the call, holding the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Ah, Saihara— Good thing you answered, we... We have a bit of an issue-"

Shuichi tilted his head, standing up and pacing his room. "What's wrong??"

"Ah well-" There was an anxious pause. "The Phantom Thief has taken one of our detectives hostage— he says he'll let him go if he can speak to you.."

Shuichi stopped in his tracks. What the hell was he thinking? Holding someone hostage just to talk to him? He must've been out of his mind.   
"Y-You're kidding— Put him on the phone then-"

"Ah no, he—" The was the sudden sound of fumbling and arguing, it sounded like the phone had been taken from the detective.

"Ah-Ah-Ah my beloved! I want to talk to you in person~!"

"Are you fucking crazy??" Shuichi answered, recognizing the thief's voice on the other end.

He whistled. "Wow, do you kiss your mother with that mouth? You know it! Besides, you also know the one thing I don't tolerate~ Come on over and show these dumbasses why they're wrong, hmm?" The Supreme Leader's laugh echoed through the receiver. "Hm? Ah, your detective friend-boss-whatever says a car's waiting for you. Real fancy Shuichi! I'll see you soon my love!" The thief blew an audible kiss towards the phone, and hung up.

Shuichi facepalmed, shaking his head. Yes, he wanted a Phantom Thief case. But he wasn't expecting a hostage to be involved, for Christ's sake.  
He quickly ran down the stairs of the apartment building, hurriedly jumping into the car that waited on his block.  
"Hurry up—" He ushered the driver. He nodded in reply, activating the car's sirens.

As they began to drive, anxiety and adrenaline engulfed Shuichi. It's been a whole month of missing out on these cases, he missed the feeling.

They arrived at the crime scene, a mansion belonging to some Princess from abroad who had come to Japan to study. A man in a black suit opened the door for Shuichi, a girl with long blonde hair and pale skin greeted him, she looked foreign, she must've been the princess.

"You must be the famous detective Saihara—! Oh please come in— He has him in the library-" The Princess led the detective inside. She sounded distressed, but not as much as he'd expected her to be. She was stopped when they arrived to the doors of the library, her bodyguards did not allow her to get any closer to the crime scene.

"Thank you-" Shuichi smiled at her, looking towards the door. He breathed heavily, and made his way into the library. The scene in front of him made his eyes widen in concern.

There were police officers and the head detective, who all had their eyes, and guns, on the Phantom Thief, who held a gun to another detective's head threateningly.  
The thief smiled widely under his mask upon seeing Shuichi enter.

"There he is, the real star of the show!" The thief laughed, then suddenly stopped.  
"What's up Saihara? That's it? Are you bored of me~? I cannot believe you would just— just leave me for a month!" He growled, pointing his finger at him. "And after that lovely exchange we had too..." He tapped the cheek of his mask, referencing the kiss he had given him on the cheek.

"You don't understand— It wasn't my choice- I got a huge case and I couldn't—"

"I don't want your fucking excuses!" The thief barked, pressing the gun against the amateur detective's head. He whimpered, his whole body shook with fear.

Shuichi stopped talking instantly, lifting his hands up. "L-Let's just- calm down first—"

The leader could only laugh, shaking his head. "Don't do that, Shuichi. Play my game, you have the answer."

Shuichi huffed. The thief was right, he wasn't playing the way he should have been. He was acting the way the police expected him to, and he knew the Phantom Thief hated that.  
The detective simply nodded. He walked over to the Phantom Thief, ignoring the policemen's attempts to stop him.  
He stood directly in front of him, a mere three feet between them.

"You see?! This is what I love about him!" The thief gestured towards the detective. "Unpredictable, fun!" He laughed, dismissing the other detective with the wave of a hand.  
"Piss off you wannabe."

The young detective muttered a thank you and ran to the policemen, hiding behind them.  
Shuichi nodded at the thief, who was now pointing the gun at him.  
"Tell them the obvious! Solve the case right here, right now. Impress me, my love~"

Shuichi sighed, looking at the masked fiend.   
"Well... Seems you came here to steal something expensive and foreign, considering this is a royal household. You hoped that this case would grab my attention, so when I didn't show up with the police, you got angry and pretended to take a hostage to get me to come here."

"Pretended??" One of the policemen spoke.

"The one thing you don't tolerate... It's violence. No matter how dangerous or elaborate your heists are, you and your group have never really harmed anyone, because you loathe using violence. That gun is probably fake."

The policemen stared in awe, as the thief lowered his gun.   
"And it worked! You're here~!" He smiled.

The police, understanding that he was unarmed and not dangerous, began to close in rather quickly, determined to detain the criminal this time.

The Supreme Leader growled, he pointed the gun to the ceiling and shot it. A sharp bang echoed through the library as bits of the ceiling fell.  
"Don't even think about it." He glared at the policemen, despite them not being able to see it.

Shuichi stared in shock, he had been wrong about the gun being fake.   
The leader giggled at Shuichi's stunned face. "Don't worry detective, we all make mistakes. It was an excellent deduction though, I applaud you!"

"Now." The thief continued, pressing the gun against his beloved detective's head. "I was promised to be left alone with my beloved detective. So anyone who isn't named Shuichi Saihara better be out of this damn room in the next five seconds, or there won't be a Shuichi Saihara anymore."

Shuichi's body shook slightly, he knew that the thief wouldn't dare to hurt him, but having a gun to his head still wasn't a pleasant experience.   
He nodded at the policemen with a smile. "Please, get out.." He spoke. They were hesitant, but they complied, trusting the Ultimate Detective, and exited the room.

The Supreme Leader dropped the gun to the floor once they all left. "Jeez, they're so difficult."

"Why on earth did you want me here so badly??" The detective asked seriously.

"Neeheeh! Because I missed you!"

"Why not enter through my window, like you did last time??" He questioned. The leader laughed in reply.  
"How boring. That wasn't dramatic enough, so I went with this idea!"

Shuichi rolled his eyes at the extravagant boy, of course, he had to make everything flashy and dramatic. "Well I'm here. I solved the case. Are we done here?"

"Not quite, I actually called you here to ask you a question!"

The detective tilted his head. "...And what's that?"

"Well, I've been thinking. We've known each other for half a year and know nothing about each other, despite being soulmates. The thought made me a little sad, but I came up with the perfect solution! Saihara, let's go on a date!"

The detective choked on air for a moment, coughing a big. A red hue made it's way to his cheeks. "A— A date?!" He exclaimed, he wasn't sure what he was expecting.

"Yes, precisely!" The thief smiled under the mask. "I'll be waiting for you at eight, next to D.I.C.E's little back up lair. Don't be late!"

"W-Wait I didn't agree to—"

"Ah! Well, I have things to do! So I'll see you later, my beloved! Bye bye!!" The leader smiled, running out of the library, through the second entrance.

A date?

~🌺~

After the police dispersed from the crime scene, Shuichi was returned to his home. On the way he could only think about the thief's proposition. A date. Tonight. He was crazy, there was no way he could go. It must've been something, some kind of trap.  
A trap he found very hard to resist.

What if he found out viable information on that date? He could try to weasel some information out of him about D.I.C.E or himself. Maybe he could get just a little closer...  
The detective shook the last thought from his head. He decided. He was going. Purely for the reason of finding clues, of course.   
He stood up, walking to his closet. What should he wear..? Did it matter? Was he overthinking it? He was so used to wearing his usual work outfit, that the opportunity to dress differently almost overwhelmed him. He wondered what the Phantom Thief would wear. Something strange, he imagined.

Shuichi looked at the time, it was 6:30. He had some time to try on a few choice outfits and shower. His eyes made their way to the scattered files on his desk. ..He could take a break from the case for a little while, maybe this date would be an opportunity to relax. He shook his head slightly, reminding himself that he was going just to find out more about the Phantom Thief and D.I.C.E. Nothing more.

After picking out an outfit, Shuichi showered and made sure to refresh himself, consistently reminding himself to not overdo it, otherwise the Supreme Leader would believe he was taking this date seriously.  
He put on the outfit he had picked out — it was a classic white button up, navy pants and a navy coat to match. Not too fancy, but not too casual. He took one final look in the mirror before letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and walked out.  
He stepped into the taxi he had ordered, and they began driving towards the abandoned building. He arrived a few minutes early. Thanking the driver, he got out of the car and stood in front of the building, waiting for the thief anxiously. For some reason, this was much more nerve wracking than when the thief held a gun to his head earlier that day.

"Neeheeheeh! I knew you'd be early, that's just like you Saihara!" The Phantom Thief's voice rang. Shuichi looked around, and spotted the Supreme Leader - or who he assumed to be him - walking out of the "secret lair".   
Shuichi was.. somewhat right about the strange outfit he assumed he'd wear, but it was the kind of strange that a normal person on the street would wear too. The Phantom Thief wore a black turtleneck, and a white coat that reached his knees, it was open. His pants were encased with all sorts of colorful patterns, and Shuichi noticed his socks were mismatched. Another interesting detail was the checkered scarf tied around his leg, he remembered that the Phantom Thief always had it on him, whether it was actually on his neck or tied onto him somewhere.  
The most noticeable thing though, was the mask he wore to conceal his face. It was black, and covered his entire face. There was a zipper where the mouth was, and two black, but noticeable circles where his eyes were. Shuichi assumed they were black tinted and transparent, so that the Supreme Leader could still see and keep his identity hidden at the same time.

"Aw, you dressed up all pretty for me! The color suits you, Shu!" The leader hopped up and down in his place.

"Th..Thanks.. You too, I guess???" Shuichi replied as his eyes scanned his outfit once again.

"I know I know, I thought the pants added lots of character, even though my comrades said it was too much." He waved his hand dismissively. "Anyways, let's go, shall we?" He held out an arm to the detective, who kept his hands to himself.

"No thanks— It's not like this is... an actual date.." Shuichi mumbled, putting his hands in his pockets instead.   
The thief pouted, crossing his arms. "That's mean Saihara! Of course it's a date, we're soulmates, remember?"

Shuichi rolled his eyes. "So.. Where exactly are we going?"

The leader's eyes lit up excitedly. "Oh, I am going to show you the time of your life! This will be the most luxurious date you've ever been on!" He grabbed Saihara's arm, dragging him to a black car that seemed to be waiting for them. The detective sighed, deciding not to ask any questions.  
The two sat in the car, which began to drive.   
"Have you ever been on a date, Shuichi?" The Supreme Leader turned his head towards the detective.  
"Um.. no..." He replied, he could tell the thief smiled under the mask.

"I'm glad I get to be your first~" The thief smirked at the way Shuichi blushed at that.

Shuichi spent the rest of the car ride looking out the window at the city lights. He wondered what he was getting himself into as he noticed they were driving towards the coast.  
They arrived next to the beachside, the thief thanked the driver cheerfully and gave him a generous tip.  
He then began to lead Shuichi to god knows where, they walked along the boardwalk in silence, listening to the sounds of the waves, people talking and music coming from various places.

"U-Um.. By the way, what exactly should I call you..?" Shuichi questioned the shorter male, he suddenly remembered the fact that he knew nothing about him, not even his real name. "I mean, it's not like I can just call you the Phantom Thief here.." Shuichi smiled awkwardly.

The Supreme Leader smirked, taking the chance. "Then call me your beloved~!" He piped, putting his hands behind his head.

Shuichi's cheeks retreated back to being pink. "N-No way—"

The thief hummed, putting his arms behind his head. "Because you're embarrassed or because you're in denial?"

Shuichi opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It was better not to lie to his face, because he'd know, and he'd never let him live it down.   
"Fine then, my beloved." Shuichi grumbled. The Supreme Leader's smile could only widen at his success. "Yippee! Shuichi loves me!" He cheered. Shuichi facepalmed.

"Ah! Here we are, just on time!" The Supreme Leader stopped in place, motioning towards the coast.  
Shuichi blinked, looking at what he was motioning at. His mouth went agape when he saw a huge boat in the water, with a bridge connecting the boat and the boardwalk.

"Isn't it fun? It's one of those little cruises where you can just chillax and eat or whatever while watching the city lights pass by! I didn't even know we had one of these here!" The supreme leader seemed more excited than Shuichi.

"Jeez, you're serious about this date—"

"Uhh, duh! You just figured?" The thief grabbed Shuichi's hand, quickly leading him towards the boat. The detective was surprised at the sudden skin contact, he realized this was the first time he had seen the Phantom Thief without gloves, so he could get a good look at his skin now. He was very pale, his skin was smooth and his hand was.. warm.  
Shuichi could only stare down at his hand as they waited to be boarded on the boat.

As they arrived to the front of the line, Shuichi was still mesmerized by the thief's hand.  
"Name?" A man asked, he stood with a pen and list, he wore an expensive suit.

The Phantom Thief glanced at Shuichi, nudging him to snap him out of his trance. "H-Huh—? Ah- Shuichi Saihara—?" The detective almost sounded confused saying his own name. The man ticked something on his list and nodded. "Enjoy your time with us, detective." The man smiled politely, Shuichi smiled back awkwardly as the two walked onto the boat. He felt eyes on him, being reminded that he was a somewhat famous detective.

"Did you seriously use my name to make a reservation??" Shuichi questioned the shorter male, removing his hand from his.

"Well, did you expect me to use my name?" The Supreme Leader tilted his head with a chuckle. Shuichi just sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Come on, let's sit!" The thief lead Shuichi to a white couch, that faced towards the ocean and city. Shuichi had to admit, it was a beautiful view, almost like something out of a movie. He sat on the couch, looking towards the shorter male.   
"I'll get us something to drink! What do you want??"

"Uh... Water, I guess.."   
He could practically feel the Phantom Thief roll his eyes.  
"Boring, I'll get you something else!" Before Shuichi could object, he ran off.

He sighed, slumping down in the couch. He supposed this was kind of relaxing, sitting on a boat, watching the view with a breeze on his face. The calming silence was interrupted by the other male returning, holding a bottle of Panta, and a glass of what looked like a smoothie. He took a seat next to Shuichi and handed him the smoothie. The detective sighed, taking it. "Close enough-"

They sat in silence for a few moments, sipping on their drinks. It was quickly interrupted. "Let's play a game!" The shorter male piped up.

Shuichi nodded slightly, not seeing another option. "What kind of game?"

"Well, this is a first date.. How about twenty questions? Except with as many questions as we want!"

"So.... We're basically just asking each other questions—"

"I'll start!" The Phantom Thief proclaimed. "What's your name?"

Shuichi raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

The thief giggled, raising a hand. "Well, we need to start with the basics- Answer the question!"

The detective rolled his eyes, but smiled a little. "Shuichi Saihara." He paused, remembering it was his turn now. "What's yours?"

"Nice try." The thief shook his head. "The Phantom Thief."

"Liar."

"That's right ~" He replied with a smile that Shuichi could sense.

They continued asking each other basic questions, like age (The Phantom Thief avoided that one as well), favorite food, favorite color, things like that. Eventually, the questions delved a little deeper.

"What made you want to become a detective?" The thief questioned, sipping his Panta.

Shuichi sighed. "I mean, to be honest, when I was a kid I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life. I lived with my Uncle, who was a detective, you've uh, kinda met him already- I wasn't really overly-interested in the whole detective thing, but I joined my uncle as an apprentice, as a way to pay him back for taking care of me- The cases were mostly infidelity cases.. Cheating and whatnot. Until one day I was brought into my first murder case.. I guess no one really expected me to kinda solve it on my own— That's what got me my title, so it's what I've been doing since.." He shrugged.

The thief tilted his head. "If you're really that good, why are you so not-confident?? If I solved a case before other actual detectives I'd shove it in everyone's face!"

"I just— I don't see the "ultimate" part of it.. Anyone could have solved that case with the right clues— I was just a the right place at the right time, that's all..." He looked down, mixing his smoothie with the straw.

The thief laughed. "You're an idiot, Shuichi."  
Shuichi looked back at him, with a questioning face.

"You solved a case alone at the age of seventeen, you solved it before a whole fucking team of trained detectives who've been doing it for years! No one besides the Ultimate Detective can do that!" He crossed his arms. "That's why we get our Ultimate titles Shuichi, because we can do something better than others can!"

Shuichi smiled at the fact he was trying to cheer him up, but his face dropped upon hearing a certain word he used.  
"We?"

The Phantom Thief stopped in his tracks, to his horror, he realized he made a mistake, he let himself run his mouth. "Whoopsie." He tried to play it off. "Slip of the tongue."

Shuichi's confused face twisted into a smirk. "So, you're an Ultimate?"

The Supreme Leader huffed. "So what if I am? You really think some regular person can pull off everything I do?" Shuichi shrugged in response.  
"Besides, there are thousands upon thousands of different Ultimates in the country! Maybe I narrowed the list down a bit, but you'll still have trouble finding me." He smirked under his mask.

Shuichi chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'll look into it later though. My turn. How did you receive your Ultimate title?"

"Hm.. I'm afraid that's classified. Ask something else."

Shuichi huffed. "Fine, how or why did you establish D.I.C.E in the first place?"

"Mmnope! Different question!"

Shuichi groaned. "How am I supposed to ask anything if you don't answer half of my questions??"

"Come onnn, don't give up! There's bound to be a question I'll answer~"

Shuichi sighed, looking downwards. "...Why— Why are you doing this?.."

The thief tilted his head. "You're gonna have to be a little more specific, Shu."

"Why are you doing all of this?? This date? Why do you call me your love, why do you insist we're soulmates, why did you choose me??" The detective blurted out, obviously embarrassed by the question.

"Isn't it obvious though? It's because I love you!" The leader answered rather cheerfully. "You overthink things too much, my love. I've told you from the beginning that you're interesting to me." He smiled sincerely under his mask. As Shuichi thought about it in silence, the masked male leaned back, taking a sip of Panta. "My turn." He sat up straight, leaning towards the detective. "Do you love me?"

Shuichi remained speechless at the question. He didn't know how to answer it.   
"I— I don't know." Was what automatically came out of his mouth.

The thief leaned back once again, swirling his Panta around. "Mm.. boring.." He mumbled, clearly disappointed with the boring answer.

Shuichi huffed, sitting up. "I—" He began. The leader looked back at him in curiosity. The detective took a deep, anxious breath, and leaned towards him. He peeled off his mask, so that only the thief's mouth was visible, and kissed him.

The force of the kiss unfortunately knocked the bottle of Panta out of the Supreme Leader's hand, causing it to spill all over him. There was no way in hell he'd let that ruin the moment though, when Shuichi began to pull away to see what had happened, the thief put his hand on the back of the detective's head, pulling him back into the deep kiss. This forced a small yet sensual whimper from the detective, turning his face crimson. The leader's hand found it's way onto Shuichi's locks, he gripped onto his hair gently, earning another sound from the detective.

After what seemed like ages, the two parted lips, a string of saliva connecting them. They panted heavily, while the leader stared at Shuichi's face, the detective could only look downwards in embarrassment. His eyes set on the thief's body, and he realized that he was completely drenched with Panta.

"Shit, I-I'm so sorry—" Shuichi looked at the Supreme Leader's now ruined clothes, then back at the leader, who looked down at himself.   
"Oh well."

"—A-Aren't you mad—?" Shuichi looked at him, slightly baffled.

"After that answer? No way. It was so worth it." He smirked, sitting up straight.

Shuichi frowned slightly, feeling guilty for the mess he caused. "We should go to my house.. I'll get you some clean clothes.."

The smirk on the thief's face only widened. "Are you inviting me over~?"

"N-Not in that way—!" Shuichi blushed madly, covering his face with his hand.

"My my Shuichi, if you're having thoughts like that, there's a hotel nearby you know."

"J-Just shut up already—" Shuichi stuttered, lightly smacking his beloved's arm. The thief laughed in reply.

~🌸~

After they got off the boat, the Phantom Thief accepted Shuichi's offer to get him some clean clothes, since it was getting uncomfortable, and it'd give him extra time with Shuichi anyways. They ordered a taxi and eventually arrived at his apartment building.

The two walked up the stairs, entering the apartment. The Phantom Thief whistled. "Nice place Shu. Hey, how much do they pay you for solving my cases?"

Shuichi rolled his eyes as he locked the door. "None of your business-" He sighed. "I'll get you some clean clothes.. Um.." He looked at the shorter male with an awkward smile. "They.. might be a little big..."

The Phantom Thief crossed his arms. "Yeah yeah, I know I'm short, no need to rub it in!"

Shuichi chuckled, opening up his closet and beginning to look through a selection of clothing.

As the detective searched, the thief looked around his place. He tilted his head upon seeing a large board on the wall above a desk, where files upon files were scattered. His eyes scanned the pictures on the board, a male and twelve females.  
"Rantaro Amami?"

"Ah, yeah... that's the case I was telling you about.." Shuichi answered as he fumbled with some sweaters.

"How can someone even lose twelve people, honestly.." The thief mumbled, he flipped through some of the folders on the desk, and tilted his head upon finding his own. Curiously, he opened it up, looking through the information.  
"Hmm, not the best picture of me.."

The file was snatched out of his hand by the detective, who handed him some clothes. "Stop looking through my stuff— Change your clothes."

The thief giggled, looking at the clothes. "You should wear more colors Saihara, as much as black and blue fits your emo-ness."

"I'm not emo—" He rolled his eyes at him.

"Umm, yes you are! Look at your hair style, and your clothes, and your expression. Total emo."  
Shuichi gestured towards the bathroom. "Go change—"

He smiled a little bit as the thief's laugh echoed while he walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.  
Shuichi sat on the bed, flopping onto his back. He was pretty tired from everything that happened that same day, but he had to admit, he had fun.

He rested his body on the bed, letting his eyes close gently. A minute later, he heard the bathroom door open once again, he lifted his head to look at the Phantom Thief, and couldn't help but blush slightly. He looked goddamn adorable in the sweater that was too big on him. Shuichi's head fell back onto the bed with a heavy sigh.

The Supreme Leader suddenly, of course, jumped right onto him, causing him to groan. "Ow-"

"Don't fall asleep on me detective!" The thief pleaded with him. Shuichi rolled his eyes.  
"I was just resting—" He paused when he looked up at the Supreme Leader, realizing the compromising position they were in. He noticed that the thief had decided to leave his mouth exposed, and wondered if he did it on purpose. The memory of them kissing on the boat returned to Shuichi's mind as his eyes stared at his lips.

The male on top of him smirked. "What could you be thinking of, I wonder?.."  
 **((🐟 A/N - Things get pretty 18+ here, not full on smut but definitely dirty 🤭 here's your warning))**

"Are you thinking of kissing me again maybe?.. Or maybe even a little more?" The thief's face came dangerously close to the detective's, who's face was engulfed in red.

"Cause I definitely am.. I want to do so many things with you...."

"L-Like what—?" Shuichi managed to speak, despite being a complete and utterly flustered mess.

The thief giggled seductively, lowering his face to the side of Shuichi's head, next to his ear. His talking turned into whispering. "I want to touch you more... Your skin is so warm.." The Supreme Leader's hand ran down his chest, playing around with the buttons of his shirt. "I want to run my fingers through your hair.."   
Shuichi watched as his hand made it's way to his locks, his eyes crossed slightly at the sensation of him running his fingers through his hair.

Shuichi could barely take it. He knew that the thief was doing this to tease him, and it made Shuichi want to grab him and pull him into another kiss even more, but he was mesmerized by the sensation of his fingers.

"What about you, Shu? What do you want to do?" The leader smirked, staring at his face.

Shuichi didn't even bother answering verbally, before grabbing the leader by the collar of his shirt and pulling him into a heated kiss. He felt him smirk into the kiss, it made Shuichi want to wipe that damned smirk off his face. As their tongues wrestled for dominance, Shuichi wanted to win, because if he couldn't win their other games, then he wanted to win this one.

The Phantom Thief noticed this, and had no complaints at all. His fingers found their way to the buttons on Shuichi's shirt, he hazily began to unbutton them as the detective's hand found it's way to the thief's purple locks.

Shuichi pulled away for a few moments to take a breath, and watched the thief make way with his shirt, which was now half off. His panting turned into a small chuckle, he suddenly remembered the position they were in, and who they were.  
"This is... so wrong.." Shuichi mumbled in between pants.

The Supreme Leader's hand made it's way to Shuichi's cheek. "Definitely. But that's what makes it so much more fun~.." He pulled him into another kiss, one that Shuichi graciously accepted. It was a short-lasted kiss, the thief pulled away again. "It looks like your friend agrees with me.." He smirked, looking down at Shuichi's crotch.  
Shuichi could only blush a deep red as his eyes darted elsewhere, anywhere but the Phantom Thief.

He just laughed. "Aw, don't worry.. I'll make you feel good.." He smirked as his fingers ran down Shuichi's chest.

"Um... If we're going to do something like that s-shouldn't you take off the mask—? I can't imagine it would be comfortable-"

The thief looked up in thought for a moment, clearly he hadn't thought of that. "Hm.. Doesn't seem like an appropriate time for an identity reveal.." Shuichi nodded in agreement.  
The thief stood up, seemingly with an idea. Shuichi already missed the warmth of his body. The leader looked for something on the ground, and seemed to find it, he returned back onto Shuichi, holding the checkered scarf in his hands. "I'll take off my mask, and your detective fun won't be ruined." He smirked, tying the scarf around Shuichi's eyes.

"Ah... That's a solution.." Shuichi mumbled, missing the feeling of his fingers.  
"Neeheeheeh... You're so impatient.."

"Sh-Shut up—"

~🌸~

The next morning, Shuichi couldn't bear to wake up. He was tired, and not to mention sore from last night. He sighed, pulling the blanket over himself more, feeling a presence next to him. The Phantom Thief was pressed up against his back, with his arms wrapped around Shuichi. The detective could hear light snores coming from him, which he thought were rather cute.  
His eyes looked towards the ground, where he noticed the thief's mask laid. It was baffling to him that he was right next to him, maskless, just a regular person much like him.

Shuichi looked towards the digital clock on his bedside table, it read 7:16. He sighed, knowing he had to be in the office in 45 minutes. He slowly pulled away from the Supreme Leader, and quickly threw the blanket over his face before he turned around, so he wouldn't see his features. He stretched, groaning a little from his soreness.

"No..... Shuichiii...." The groggy thief groaned, feeling that Shuichi wasn't in the bed. "Where are you..."

"I need to go to work— Shouldn't you be going to your secret lair or whatever?" The detective asked, throwing his mask onto the bed.

The thief sighed, putting the mask on. "It's not like we have work hours."

"Well, I do." The detective flatly stated, finishing getting dressed. "I need to get going— Can I trust you to leave quietly and not snoop through my stuff or steal anything?"

"Of course my beloved! I've stolen your heart, so I'm satisfied. For now~" He smirked.

The detective rolled his eyes, walking towards the door.  
"Shuichi!"

"Hm?" Shuichi turned around, looking at the masked thief.

"I had fun yesterday." He genuinely stated with a sincere smile. "I look forward to our next meeting~" His playful tone suddenly returned. Shuichi blushed slightly, but nodded.   
"Yeah.. me too.."


	3. Murphy's Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detective's emotions and thoughts are getting to him, he makes the desicion to strictly focus on the Amami case during the weekend, but things don't go smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (90% of this chapter is Shuichi literally suffering I am so sorry bby)

The whole time at work, Shuichi couldn't focus all that much. Any time he tried to think about Rantaro Amami and his missing sisters, the Phantom Thief would come to his mind. He shook his head slightly, trying not to think of yesterday's events. But it hit him, he went on a date with a criminal that was known nation-wide, a criminal he and the police had been trying to catch for half a year.  
He leaned back in his chair, pondering what on earth he got himself into.

Suddenly, he remembered a piece of important information that he had gained yesterday - the Phantom Thief was an Ultimate.  
He took out a notebook and opened up an empty page. If he was an Ultimate, what kind would he be? The Ultimate Thief? The Ultimate Criminal? The Ultimate Trickster?  
He scribbled down some ideas, looking at the Phantom Thief's skills and personality as a whole. The Ultimate Liar? Was that even a possible Ultimate?? Shuichi shrugged to himself, writing it down anyways, remembering that he had heard that there was someone called the Ultimate Lucky Student. What did that even mean?

He huffed, realizing that the Phantom Thief was distracting him once again. It was a pain to keep all this information to himself, but what could he do? If he told a co-worker or his uncle what he had done with the Phantom Thief yesterday, he would surely get in a shit load of trouble for it.

Then someone came to his mind, he wondered how he didn't think of it before.  
He picked up his phone, and called up a friend.

"Shuichi! I haven't heard from you in a while! How's my favorite sidekick doing?"

Shuichi smiled, immediately comforted by the familiar voice. "Kaito... it's nice to hear from you. How are you?"

"I'm great! Maki and I were just talking about you yesterday, what a coincidence!"

"That's nice.. Say, can you guys meet up with me later today? I'm... kinda stressed out and need a distraction.." Shuichi admitted, he wasn't always the most adamant on asking for help, but Kaito and Maki were always extremely supportive of him, and always managed make his periods of depression more bearable.

"Of course man! Me and Maki were planning to train in the park next to Hope's Peak, join us!"

Shuichi chuckled a little. "Alright... but I can't promise I'll train with you today... I'm really sore from uh— A case I had yesterday-"

"We'll see about that!" Kaito laughed. "I'll see you at 8?"

"Sounds good... Thank you, Kaito." Shuichi smiled, and hung up.

~🌸~

Shuichi slumped down on the park bench with a sigh, waiting for Kaito and Maki to show up. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of those twelve sisters would appear in his mind. And if he tried to avoid the thought of the sisters, then the Phantom Thief would take their place. It didn’t matter how much he tried to avoid thinking in general, thoughts and theories took over his mind, and it drove him crazy.

“Shuichi!” A familiar voice rang, Shuichi’s head turned upon hearing his name. He smiled when he saw Kaito and Maki walking towards him, and waved at the two.

“Hey guys..” He stood up to greet them, Kaito instantly pulled him into a tight hug, causing Shuichi to yelp in surprise.

“How long’s it been since I’ve seen you in person, two months? It’s great to see you!” Kaito exclaimed as he let go of the detective. Maki nodded in agreement, with a small smile.  
Kaito blinked, his face twisting in surprise. “Shuichi! You’re not wearing your hat, that’s why you looked different to me!”

“A-Ah yeah— I finally decided to ditch it..” Shuichi smiled a bit, but he remembered the day he ditched the hat. It was the day he started to really delve into the mess with the Phantom Thief, his smile quickly disappeared.

Kaito noticed this, and frowned slightly. “So what’s been going on??

“Ah... I’m just really stressed out by the cases I’ve got going, that’s all...”  
It wasn’t a lie, but it definitely wasn’t the whole truth. Maki noticed him suppressing information, and took a serious tone to her voice.  
“What else is there?”

“I—“ Shuichi began, then looked towards the ground with an awkward laugh. “It’s really complicated- Hahah,, you’d judge me so hard—“

Kaito grabbed his shoulders, also adopting a serious face - though not as intimidating as Maki’s. “Shuichi, we’d never judge you for anything. You know that better than anyone!”  
Maki nodded in agreement.

Shuichi sighed, nodding. “I know..”  
He remembered how they were the ones who made him feel at home when he first arrived at Hope’s Peak High, he remembered telling them about the reason he wore his hat, and how they tried to console him and boost his confidence in his detective skills, he remembered when he came out to them, and how they didn’t ask any questions and accepted him for who he was. They were always there when he began to lose hope, so yes, they were right, they probably wouldn’t judge him. They never did.

He sighed. “I don’t even know where to start..”

“Let’s take a walk, talk through it step by step.” Maki spoke, and began to walk down the park’s pathway. The two boys followed.

He began by telling them about yesterday morning, when the Phantom Thief took that detective hostage to lure him in, and how he pointed a gun to his head, to which Kaito freaked out a bit, Maki didn’t, seeing how her whole life revolved around those situations.  
“How did you handle it?..” She asked calmly, though still concerned for Shuichi.

“Ah, that part was alright.. His group has a strict policy against violence. It was what happened after the police left— He asked me out on a date-“

“A date??” Kaito questioned, tilting his head. “Like an actual romantic candlelit dinner kind of date?”

“That’s not what I thought at the time, but that’s kind of what ended up happening— initially I thought it was a trap.. but I went along with it so I could weasel some information out of him-“

“So.. where’s the catch? Did something happen on the date?” Maki questioned him.

“U-Uh— Well.. you see—“ Shuichi stammered nervously, his cheeks became pink at the thought of what happened that night. Kaito and Maki waited for his answer intently, with polite smiles.  
“I k-kind of— kissed him—?”

“He kissed you?!" Kaito shrieked. “What on earth is this guy’s deal?!”

Shuichi laughed nervously, shaking his head. “No no, you misunderstand- I’m the one that kissed him,, I initiated it...” His sentence turned into a mumble, as he looked towards the ground.

Kaito paused for a moment, not knowing how to reply.  
“Why did you do it?” Maki asked, breaking the silence. “Are you guys not enemies?”

“We wouldn’t call each other enemies— I- I don’t know why I did it anymore- I’m just,, confused... I was tired and stressed and he was kind to me and actually made me feel better so I just- I don’t know.. I wasn’t thinking..” Shuichi muttered, seemingly guilty about it.

“Well hey— Like you said, you were tired and whatnot, it was just a spur of the moment thing, don’tcha think?” Kaito smiled gently, trying to cheer him up.

Maki nodded. “I agree with Kaito. Perhaps you just weren’t thinking straight.” **((Pun not intended))**

Shuichi sighed, rubbing his temples. “That’s what I want to believe but- It’s a lie, I know that’s not the truth- I was thinking, I knew what I was doing and— We didn’t really— stop there-“

“What do you mean by that?” Maki asked.

“I-I mean—“ Shuichi’s face heated up, for a moment he wished that he had his hat again. His voice lowered into a mumble. “I mean like I may or may not have lost my virginity—?”

“You— what now?!” Kaito put his hands on the sides of his head. “You guys fucked?!”  
Maki elbowed his arm rather harshly, glaring at him for overreacting.  
“I see..” She pondered. “Do you.. have feelings for him, Shuichi?”

There was that question again. It was the one question that Shuichi consistently tried to avoid, because he himself wasn’t sure what the answer was.  
“I— I don’t know- Maybe, maybe not- I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into-“ He huffed, angry with himself. “If someone on my team found out it’d be the end of me- I’d lose my job- or I’d get arrested for withholding information from the police— W-Why the hell am I jeopardizing my life for that- that thief—“

Maki set an arm on his shoulder, firmly. “You need to calm down first.. Before you go into a panic..” She warned.  
Shuichi hadn’t even noticed how hard he had been breathing, or the fact that he shook slightly. He took a deep, yet shaky breath. Though Kaito was good at cheering up and motivating Shuichi, Maki was great at calming him down before he got out of hand, in the past she taught him different breathing exercises that he could use to calm down better, because she suspected that Shuichi suffered from anxiety, despite him ensuring her that he was fine. Maki never believed a word of it.

“I just..... I’m confused.” Shuichi muttered after calming down slightly.

Kaito sighed, putting a hand on his other shoulder. “Well, we’re here with you for every step of the way, we’ll do everything we can to help you understand your feelings-“ He smiled. “I know you’ll figure it out, you’re the Ultimate Detective for Christ’s sake!”  
Maki nodded in agreement.

“Th-Thank you...... It felt good to at least get it off my chest....” Shuichi smiled a bit. “Could we.. talk about something else now?... I need a distraction.. I need my head to be clear for a case tomorrow-“

“Of course.” Maki nodded.

The trio spent the rest of the evening talking about childhood memories, telling jokes (and explaining them to Maki), talking about Kaito’s Astronaut training, and more. For just a moment, it felt like they were back in Hope’s Peak High school.

~🌸~

The next morning, Shuichi groaned upon hearing his alarm ring. He had gotten no more than 4 hours of sleep, and wasn’t in the mood to get up for the day. But he had no choice, it was time to get back to the Amami Case, and he and his team had just gotten a search warrant for the household.

Shuichi slowly got out of bed, stretching his back. As he got dressed, he found that only negative thoughts engulfed his mind. They probably wouldn’t find anything useful. It would all just be a waste of his time. What kind of Ultimate Detective was he if he couldn’t complete his first big case? What if he was too late in finding the sisters and something happened to them? The thought made his heart pound, he was suddenly reminded of his first murder case, the one that got him his title. He could never forget that look the man gave him as he was pulled away by the police.  
Shuichi took a seat on his bed, he held his chest as he tried to calm himself, doing the breathing exercises Maki showed him. But the image of that man never left his head, he could imagine Rantaro Amami giving him the same look.

After a short while, Shuichi somewhat calmed down (though not necessarily, he more so suppressed the anxiety, knowing it would come back to bite him later). He got ready to go, ensuring that he looked normal enough, despite being tired and anxious out of his mind.

~🌺~

By sunset, Shuichi finally returned home from the long day, tuckered out and irritated. They found a few things, but were unsure if they even related to the case. The detective sighed, going to the kitchen to make himself some coffee to wake himself up. He planned to stay up a little late to look through some of the things they had found and see how they could relate to their disappearances.

After preparing the mug of coffee, Shuichi took a seat in front of the board above his desk. He pulled out the potential evidence, a transcript of Rantaro’s testimony, and a map of Japan. He needed to pinpoint where each sister was last seen.

With a sigh, he got to work, and as he planned, he worked into the late hours of the night.  
But 12AM turned to 3AM.  
And 3AM turned to 6.

Before he knew it, it had been 24 hours since he last slept, but there was no way he was going to give up now. This was the most progress he has accomplished in weeks. He couldn’t fail this case, for his sake, and for those sisters’ sake.

The sun rose, and the city began waking up. The sounds of people talking, occasional music, every now and then the sounds of loud vehicles, like motorcycles, police cars, and ambulances, slightly distracted Shuichi from his train of thought, but he continued working on the cas nonetheless. He considered closing his window, but the fresh air from the outside helped keep him awake.

As morning turned into the afternoon, Shuichi completely lost track of time. He couldn’t remember the last time he looked at a clock, but assumed it was fine, considering he didn’t feel all that tired. He had some kind of strange adrenaline he got from the satisfaction of understanding some points of the case.  
At some point he hazily made himself some instant ramen to not be distracted by hunger, but his fatigued body couldn’t even taste it.

The early hours of the evening came, and at long last, Shuichi began to feel the effects of the immense lack of sleep. He sighed, wondering if he was overdoing it, but the mental image of Rantaro’s disappointed and angered face returned to his mind and convinced him to get another cup of coffee, he was too close to answers to disappoint Rantaro now.

He stood up, dragging his feet to the kitchen. As he searched for the coffee beans, his hand blindly tried to reach for his mug, which resulted in the mug toppling over and rolling to the edge of the counter. Shuichi would have practically fallen asleep standing up if it weren’t for the noise of glass shattering beneath his feet.  
The startled detective shook himself awake, and his eyes made their way to what used to be a coffee mug. He groaned as he searched for a broom.  
“God fuckin... damn it..” He muttered to himself as he swept the glass. Murphy’s Law seemed to pay him a visit, as the tired detective stepped right onto a piece of glass, resulting in a yelp, and him dropping the broom to the ground.

For a moment the pain made him forget about the case, but he quickly remembered that this was distracting him from something entirely more important. He slowly sat on the ground with his back against the counter, putting his head in his hands with a shaky sigh. He wanted to finish this case, but at the same time he just wanted to give up. He was sure there were other, better detectives who would solve it in a much better way than he was. Because he had to face the facts, he was a disaster that didn’t sleep for two days, barely ate, and now was sitting on the floor with porcelain in his foot.

“Is.... this a bad time?” A familiar voice spoke. Shuichi’s head looked up, thinking that the insomnia was surely making him hear things, but no. The absolute last person he wanted to see stood in front of him, mask and all— the Phantom Thief.

“Shoulda closed the window..” Shuichi mumbled to himself, cautiously helping himself up by gripping onto the edge of the counter. “I’m busy, you should leave.” He flatly stated, hopping to the bathroom on one leg, in the search of a first aid.

“Jeez, I haven’t seen you in two days and it’s all gone to shit, huh?” The thief tried to joke, but instead got a harsh glare from the detective that he had never seen before.  
“What happened??” He questioned, he was sincere, but Shuichi chose not to believe it.

“It’s none of your business.. I’m working...” Shuichi mumbled as he grabbed the first aid kit and hopped to his bed, sitting down. The thief just followed him, keeping his distance. As he eyed the dark circles under Shuichi’s eyes, his concern could only grow.

“I could hel—“

“The last thing I want right now is your help— Okay?” Shuichi growled, preparing himself for the pain that would follow when he pulled the piece of porcelain out of his foot.

The Supreme Leader was taken aback at what lack of sleep did to the detective. He decided to keep quiet for now, and watched the detective intently, his mask hiding the concern on his face.

Shuichi pulled out the sharp porcelain in a swift motion, which ushered a wince out of his throat. He set it aside, and gently squeezed his foot to allow the blood to wash the germs out of his wound. As he dabbed the wound with wet paper towels, he huffed, realizing he had forgotten to get antibiotic ointment from the bathroom’s cabinet.  
“...Could— Could you get me ointment from the cabinet-?” He asked the other male, motioning towards the bathroom. “It’s the one with the red cap..” He mumbled, looking back down at his wound, seemingly guilty.

“Yes sir!” The thief piped up, preforming a salute. He skipped to the bathroom, shortly coming out with Shuichi’s request and handing it to him.

He nodded in thanks, as he applied it to his wound, an awkward silence resonated in the air.  
“...Sorry. For- being rude-“ Shuichi spoke up as he stared down at his foot with a guilty expression.

“Aw, I forgive you!” The thief hummed happily, but his tone suddenly became slightly serious. “You know it hurts me to see you in pain my beloved..”

Shuichi shrugged, continuing to avoid eye contact as he wrapped bandages around his wound. “Do you mean that?” He asked, his tone assuming that the thief’s intentions were purely cynical.

“Of course!” The thief crossed his arms, clearly offended at the thought. “You know I never lie when it comes to you!”

“That’s a lie..” Shuichi mumbled, closing the first aid kit, frowning at the fact he couldn’t find an excuse to continue staring downwards, so his tired eyes made their way to the board above his desk.

“Well— I try to keep my lies minimal in regards to you.” The thief walked up to him. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care for you, my love.”

“How do I know that’s not a lie? How do I know you’re not trying to manipulate me with love and emotions or whatever?”

The Phantom Thief paused, not necessarily expecting Shuichi to be as distrusting as he was. He couldn’t really blame him, had he been in his situation, he’d definitely be the same. What did he expect? Would Shuichi really go all lovestruck for someone who surrounded themselves with lies? Reality was harsher than that, this wasn’t some romantic comedy where everything went right.

“I... Sorry for making you feel that way.” The thief mumbled, defeated.

Shuichi finally looked directly at him, his eyes widening in surprise. He had never heard the thief sound so sincere when saying anything.  
A small smile made it’s way onto his face when he realized this indicated his real feelings on the matter. He sighed. “It’s alright. I’m just stressed out and I’m taking it out on you... I’m sorry..”

“There’s no need to apologize beloved! I’ve already forgiven you~” The thief’s playful tone instantly returned. His eyes caught the board that Shuichi seemed to be staring at, and his head tilted. “Wow, you’ve been busy.”

Shuichi chuckled a bit. “I guess you could say that..” A wider smile made it’s way onto his face. “I’ve managed to pinpoint the locations where each sister is located, and the vicinity they could be in in correlation to their status and amount of time they had been missing- And I think some of the evidence could actually play into it- But I’m 99% sure on their locations, which means we can finally issue search teams..” Shuichi rambled.

“Aw, does that mean you’ll be gone for a while?” The thief pouted under his mask.

“Ah- No.... My uncle won’t let me accompany search parties..” Shuichi dropped the smile he had a few seconds ago. “He’s a bit overprotective, especially since the incident, hahah...”

“Incident?” The thief hummed curiously, he felt a small pang of guilt for pulling information out of the sleep deprived detective, who didn’t even seem to notice what he was talking about anymore, words simply spilled out of his mouth.

“Oh you know, that first murder case I told you about, the one that got me my Ultimate title.” Shuichi flopped down on his bed. “I didn’t tell you what happened afterwards?” He shook his head at himself, continuing to ramble. “The guilt I felt after uncovering that murder was so bad it sent me into like... this wave of depression- I saw that guy’s angry and desperate face in my mind for weeks and weeks.... Since then, my uncle didn’t let me take murder cases, or go on elaborate search parties or anything..” He shrugged.

The thief sat next to him, admiring the map on the board.  
“Is that why you’re not sleeping and obsessing over this case? So you won’t have to see that face again?”

“Well, yeah..” Shuichi mumbled. “Who said I didn’t sleep?”

“Your face, your attitude and oversharing, your hair, the three different coffee mugs on the table, the amount of work you did, and the way you’re acting...”

Shuichi chuckled. “Ah... you caught me red handed. Are you an Ultimate Detective too?” He teased with a small, tired smile.

The thief smiled under the mask. “I think it’s time you went to sleep, Shu.” He stood up, motioning for Shuichi to lay on the bed properly.

“But—“

“You’ve done enough work for now, my beloved Ultimate Detective.”

Shuichi couldn’t resist obeying the loving tone that the Phantom Thief used. The sound of his voice danced amongst his ears as he crawled under the covers tiredly.  
The Supreme Leader sat next to him, removing the detective’s coat for him, figuring it wasn’t comfortable to sleep in.

Almost instantly, Shuichi’s eyes began to close, but opened once again upon feeling the thief stand up. His hand reached for the bottom of his shirt, gripping it gently.  
“I don’t want to be alone-“ He mumbled, his fatigued eyes had a depressed undertone to them.

The thief asked no questions, and nodded. Shuichi rolled over to the side of the bed, giving the leader space to lay in. He graciously accepted the offer, laying next to his beloved detective, who curled up against him.

“Thank you........” He mumbled, before falling into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a whole storyline planned out, but I also will sprinkle in some bonus chapters that strictly focus on Saiouma! If you guys have something you'd like to see (fluffy, angsty, smutty or all), please do leave a comment! I absolutely adore taking suggestions from y'all QwQ Have a nice dayyy


	4. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi is in desperate need of a distraction, the Phantom Thief is happy to help with the matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bonus chapter! Not necessarily important to the plot but it's sum fluffy Saiouma for y'all's souls. Remember that you can request bonus chapters, fluff smut and angst are all welcome.

The detective woke up to the sound of rain pattering on the roof, and against the windows. His first initial thought was how glad he was it was a Sunday morning, meaning he didn’t have to get out of bed. He was much too comfortable to even consider the thought of standing.  
Shuichi’s eyes darted downwards upon hearing soft snoring coming from the shorter male, who laid his head on the detective’s chest. He pushed the pang of guilt he felt out of his mind, and simply watched the thief’s head move as Shuichi’s chest rose and fell with each breath.  
His fingers made their way to the thief’s violet locks, tangling themselves amongst the messy hair and moving around his scalp. This earned the detective a sound from the thief’s throat, which made him melt upon hearing it.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the rain and occasional thunder calm him. He kept his hand tangled in the Phantom Thief’s hair, pondering how this was the calmest he’s been in a while.

The feeling of Shuichi’s fingers tracing his scalp eventually woke the Supreme Leader up, a hue of pink dusted his pale cheeks, he was relieved he wore a mask. The feeling of Shuichi’s fingers made him cross his eyes, he pushed his head towards Shuichi’s hand, trying to get a better feel for it.

“Are you awake—?” Shuichi questioned, an embarrassed expression making it’s way onto his face, he began to pull his hand away.

“Nope..” The Phantom Thief lied, setting his hand on Shuichi’s to push his hand back into his hair. “Continue..” He ordered with a mumble.

The detective rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. The thief nuzzled against his chest as his arms wrapped around Shuichi, making him look away with a blush. He could sense the thief smirking smugly under his mask.

“Shut up.....” The detective mumbled.

“I didn’t say anything~” The Phantom Thief teased.

“You’re thinking it though....”

His smirk widened as he lifted his head to look up at the detective. “Shuichi loves meee~~”

Shuichi shoved a pillow in his masked face, shuffling out of his grip, receiving a whine from the thief, who now laid on his stomach on the bed. “So tsundere Shuichi!” He exclaimed.

“Am not... Besides, I haven’t showered in two days... I feel gross..” Shuichi muttered as he stretched, standing up. He suddenly winced slightly, falling back onto the bed. His eyes made their way to his foot, where the pain came from. Being reminded of what happened yesterday, he sighed, shaking his head to himself. He stood up again, using his heel to walk to the bathroom.

“Need help?” The thief questioned as he watched the limping detective.

“No- I’m alright..”

“Good... I was too lazy to get up.” The thief hugged a pillow, silently wishing it was Shuichi. He melted at the smile he gave him before he entered the bathroom, and rolled onto his back with a giggle.  
“Oh, he totally likes me.”

As the Phantom Thief waited, he lifted up his mask to breath better, listening to the sound of the rain, and the muffled sounds of the shower running. Once he heard the shower go quiet, he made sure to lower his mask once again, but left his mouth exposed. He figured Shuichi had seen it enough for him to not cover it.  
When the bathroom door opened, the Supreme Leader turned his head to admire his beloved, and received the pleasant surprise of the detective being shirtless. After Shuichi dried his hair, he looked towards the thief, feeling his eyes on him.  
“Stop staring— I knew you’d make a big deal out of it..” He grumbled.

The Supreme Leader laughed a bit, waving his hand dismissively. “No deal making here, just enjoying the view!” He smirked as Shuichi rolled his eyes with a blush. He went to his closet, throwing on a plain white t-shirt, much to the thief’s dismay.

After throwing his towel to the side, Shuichi sat back down on the bed with a sigh. The shorter male crawled to his side, looking at his face, which seemed a little anxious.  
Shuichi’s eyes made their way to the leader’s exposed mouth, he raised an eyebrow with a hum. “Do you assume that every time you have your mouth exposed next to me that I’ll kiss you?”

“—Of course not, why would you think that~?” The thief lied, leaning back to look at the rain falling on the window’s glass panes.  
“..Are you still thinking about the case?” He looked back to the detective, tilting his head.

“Well yeah.. It’s a little hard not to...” He sighed, shaking his head. “Sorry for bothering you with everything I rambled about yesterday.. I was too tired to think about what I was saying..”

“You could never bother me, my love!” The thief smiled cheekily. “Shall I leave to let you think?”

Shuichi looked towards the window, the pouring rain outside didn’t falter.  
“No... I’d feel worse if I made you go out in that rain..” He chuckled a bit. “Sorry, looks like you’re stuck with me for a little while longer..”

“I could imagine nothing better!” The thief clasped his hands together, with lovestruck eyes under his mask.

Shuichi smiled nervously. “I’m just- not the best when I’m all stressed.... you kinda saw that yesterday..”

The thief tapped his chin in thought as he sat up straight. “Hm.. have you tried doing things that relieve stress? Like.. I dunno, exercise? Yoga?? Oh! My personal favorite is massages! Whenever I feel I’m getting too tense, a massage makes me feel so much better~”

Shuichi chuckled. “It sounds nice, but I usually don’t have the time for things like massages..” He shook his head. “I usually use my free time to work on cases and sleep..”

The thief frowned, shaking his head with disapproval. “You need to treat yourself sometimes Shu! Allow me to change your mind!” He stood up, motioning towards the bed.

Shuichi raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You’re gonna give me a massage? Aren’t you like... a leader of a secret organization? Shouldn’t you be the one ordering people to give you a massage?”

The leader waved his hand dismissively. “You’re a special exception~” He smiled, pointing to the bed. “Lay on the bed, shirt off!” He ordered.

Shuichi complied with a sigh as he removed his shirt. “This is starting to sound like a different kind of massage..” He mumbled under his breath.

The leader laughed with a smirk. “Well, if you’re interested I wouldn’t mind doing that kind of massage either..”

Shuichi’s face heated up, he laid on his stomach, burying his face into a pillow in embarrassment. “L-Let’s keep it innocent for now—“ His plea came out muffled. The leader could only giggle at the “for now” that he added at the end.  
Shuichi let out a small yelp of surprise when he felt the Supreme Leader sit on the bottom of his back.  
“I don’t think the masseur usually sits on the client when giving the massage..?” He tilted his head slightly, but if he was honest, he didn’t mind all that much since the other males short stature didn’t necessarily make him heavy.

“Perhaps, but I’ve always though it’d be a lot more practical! I mean, now your back is right in front of me and I can use my full body weight!”

Shuichi chuckled. “You’re giving a massage, not performing CPR.. Don’t overdo it..”

The Supreme Leader chuckled, setting his hands on Shuichi’s shoulders. His eyes widened in surprise upon feeling a small mass of muscle.  
“Hmm? Shuichi, you work out? I was sure you were a total twink like most detectives..”

Shuichi snorted slightly, he rested on his chin so the pillow wouldn’t distort his voice. “A bit.. It’s only because my friends drag me to do it..” He smiled a bit at the thought of the two.

The thief hummed as his hands got to work. “You should introduce me sometime~ I’m curious to know who else the Ultimate Detective hangs out with.”

Shuichi snickered, shrugging. “We’ll see about that.”

After the exchange, the two sat in silence, with nothing but the sound of thunder and rain coming from outside. The thief focused on releasing the tension in Shuichi’s shoulders, while Shuichi melted into the feeling of the leader’s hands, thinking that he was pretty sure he had never gotten a massage before now.

“Why so silent detective? Are you rendered speechless by my skills~?” The leader smiled mischievously.

Shuichi chuckled, crossing his arms under his chin. “You could say that.. And I’m just thinking, that’s all...”

“About the case, again?”

The detective let out a prolonged, guilty sigh. “Yeah, you got me..” He mumbled. “It’s all I can think about these days... I just need a distraction..”

“Then let’s talk! Not about any cases, not about Amami, or the Phantom Thief. Let’s talk about us..”

Shuichi hummed, liking the idea. “Then tell me about yourself... Tell me a story..”

The thief looked up at the ceiling in thought. “Hm.. A story about myself.. Yeah okay! Let me think...” He smiled as his hands moved to a lower part of Shuichi’s back.  
“When I was a kid, I grew up in this pretty fancy orphanage place. Now let me tell you, this place was like, 90% girls-“

“Oh boy..” Shuichi replied with a smile, wondering if he was surprised or not at the fact the Phantom Thief was orphaned. He couldn’t really imagine a criminal as careless as him with parents.

“So because I had such a girly face, the girls would usually put me in dresses and style my hair, it was all in good fun of course. One day, I came up with this genius idea to trick our teachers into thinking I was girl, and all the others were soooo on board with it! Long story short, for the whole the first year of elementary school I was girl.” He snickered, seemingly proud of his antics.

Shuichi laughed a bit, his smile didn’t falter. “That’s.... Such a thing you’d do. Can’t say I’m surprised..” He turned to glance at the thief with a soft smile. His smile was rewarding to him, he wanted the detective to always smile like that.

“Oh but that’s only the beginning! I’ve got so much more where that came from~”

And that’s how the afternoon progressed, the Supreme Leader told Shuichi story after story of his mischievous antics. The massage lasted no more than 20 minutes, the two ended up sitting on the bed together and telling each other childhood memories and stories. They talked for hours back-to-back, with the exception of stopping for a while to make some food. But their conversations and games lasted into the evening, when the rain finally began to let down.

“Well, it seems that the rain’s gone for now!” The thief exclaimed, looking towards the window.

“Ah, do you have to go?” Shuichi asked, with a disappointed tone to his voice that he tried to hide, to no avail.

“As much as I’d love to sit here forever and ever, I have an super evil organization to lead! My members are but a flock of sheep without me!” He dramatically lifted his arm in exaggeration, with a smile.

Shuichi chuckled and stood up, limping towards the window to open it for the thief. “Thank you... this was actually.. fun.” He smiled, looking towards the shorter male. “When will I see you again?”

“Well, I did have a heist planned butttt~” His eyes darted towards Shuichi’s foot. “I can’t have you run after me with an injury! So I’ll have to postpone it, but don’t worry, this is one of my best ones yet, you’ll see!” He set his arms on his hips with confidence, then walked over to Shuichi.  
“I’ll see you later, my beloved.” He smiled sincerely at the detective.

Shuichi nodded in reply, holding the window open for the thief.  
Before he left, he stood on his tiptoes in front of the detective, and planted a kiss onto his cheek, much like he did the first night he ever visited.  
As Shuichi felt his lips graze on his cheek, he turned his head, having the thief plant the kiss on his lips instead.  
The Supreme Leader’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he smirked as he pulled away.  
“You’ll say that you love me one way or another, someday.” He commented as he jumped onto the windowsill.

Shuichi rolled his eyes, but waved at him, and watched him jump onto a shorter roof and run off.  
Once the thief was out of sight, Shuichi sighed, looking back to his board of the map of Japan, and markers on the Amami sisters’ pictures.  
The distraction was fun and pleasant, but he was back to reality, to what his life really was.

“Yeah.. guess I do....” He mumbled in reply to the thief, who was now long gone.


	5. Liar's Dice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Thief has been strangely inactive as of lately. Shuichi reopens the Phantom Thief’s case, with intentions to solve it once and for all.

The day after his supposed stay-at-home date with the thief, Shuichi presented the evidence and map of Japan that he had marked to his team, who were beyond impressed with his success in accurately pinning down where each Amami sister was located.  
Shuichi sat on the side while his Uncle and team organized search parties and a date to begin the search as soon as possible. Since he wasn’t to be a part of the search party, he wouldn’t have much to do with the Amami case in the next few weeks, besides answering any questions the search team may have. He sighed, a part of him was relieved he was somewhat done, but another part of him didn’t feel accomplished. It didn’t feel right to sit behind in an office while 12 little girls’ lives were potentially in danger. Unfortunately, Shuichi knew there was no way in hell his uncle would allow him to go.

“Shuichi!”  
Speak of the devil himself, Shuichi’s uncle walked over to him with a wide smile on his face. His uncle was a kind man, a tall fellow with slick navy, almost black, hair. His face had a number of wrinkles that were practically proof he smiled as often as he breathed.  
“I am so proud of you, you little rascal!” He threw an arm around Shuichi, pulling him into a tight side hug.

With a small yelp, Shuichi nervously laughed a bit, nodding. “Thank you Uncle-“

The older man turned to some of his co-workers, Shuichi by his side. “That’s my Ultimate Detective for ya, didn’t I tell ya he’d do it?”

Another man nodded. “I didn’t doubt you for a second, boss!”  
Shuichi stared at his feet, focusing on the slight pain coming from his injured foot rather than the rain of compliments he received from the older detectives. He was flattered, but was horrid when it came to accepting compliments. All he could do was stare at the ground, embarrassed, mumbling “thank you”s and “it was nothing, really...”

“We’re gonna go out to celebrate- I know it’s not really your forte, but do you want to join us Shuichi?” His uncle asked him, his smile not faltering for a second.

“A-Ah thank you for the offer- but I think I’ll pass... I’m not that good at... those kind of gatherings..” His excuse turned into a mumble.

His uncle nodded, clearly expecting him to answer like that. “Say, I’ll take you out to eat sometime to celebrate, just you and me, okay?”

Shuichi nodded with a polite smile. “Yeah, that sounds nice..”  
He waved his uncle goodbye as he left with his comrades, not before giving Shuichi one final hug. He sighed as they left him in the office room alone, he flopped onto his chair, it swirled around due to the impact. Shuichi spotted his open notebook on his desk and reached for it, looking through his notes. He stumbled upon the list of possible Ultimates the Phantom Thief could have been and huffed, gliding his hand through his hair as he thought of him.

The sound of the ticking clock caught the detective’s attention, his eyes made their way to the clock on wall. The hands pointed at about 6:45PM. He promised to meet Kaito and Maki at the park at 7:30, so he decided to gather himself and get ready to leave. He took a few minutes to organize his desk, setting his hands on his hips in satisfaction when he finished. He took one last look at the notebook, and sighed, throwing it into his bag. He’d worry about it later.

45 minutes later, Shuichi arrived at the park, seeing that Kaito and Maki were already present. They seemed to be in an uncharacteristically deep conversation. Shuichi hesitated before interrupting them, they seemed unusually startled.

“Ah, hey Shuichi—!” Kaito exclaimed, scratching the back of his neck. He seemed to notice that his sentence came out as nervous, so he tried to shift his tone. “How are ya?” He asked, more casually this time. Maki stayed poker-faced and waved at Shuichi quietly, which was normal for her, but she didn’t question Kaito’s behavior, which seemed strange. She was usually the one to point out when one of them was acting weird.

Shuichi narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling as though there was an elephant in the room, but chose not to acknowledge it.  
“I’m alright, actually. Better than last time- Uh, what about you two?”

“We’re doing well!” Kaito smiled as he normally would. Maki nodded in agreement. “It’s great you’re feeling better, what happened?” The detective noticed Kaito was purposely steering the conversation to be about Shuichi.

“Uh, well-“ He blinked, distracted by his deductions. “I somewhat finished that big Amami case- Well, it’s not necessarily done- but my part is..”

“Hey that’s great! Isn’t it?”

“I suppose... but..” Shuichi laughed slightly. “I suppose my life becomes boring when I don’t have a big case, you know?”

The other two nodded, understandingly.  
“What about the situation with uh, the Phantom Thief?”

Shuichi sighed, knowing the question was inevitably coming. “I-“ He paused, looking at the sky to think for a moment. “I thought about it.. quite a bit.” He looked back at his two friends. “I think I like him.." He mumbled, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he knew he couldn’t run away from the truth forever.

“Well then, at least you can understand that part of it.” Maki replied, crossing her arms.

“I suppose, but— it’s just a complicated relationship to have, you know? He’s still a criminal, and I can’t let the fact that I love him blind me from that fact.” He paused for a moment, much to his horror he had used the word “love” instead of “like”.

Kaito laughed a bit and smirked, nudging Shuichi with his shoulder. The detective blushed and shoved him slightly, to his surprise, Kaito stumbled a bit when he did.

Shuichi’s eyebrows raised in surprise, considering the fact that Kaito was generally a lot stronger than Shuichi. “S-Sorry I didn’t mean to—“

Kaito waved his had dismissively with a smile. “Seems you don’t realize your own strength, looks like training’s paying off Shuichi!”

The detective paused for a bit, but smiled. “I guess so....?”

The three talked about the Phantom Thief situation for a little while, then moved on to other topics, such as some local news stories, food, and new exercises they wanted to try out another time.  
Eventually, Shuichi announced he had to leave, as he felt pretty tired. Kaito and Maki nodded, watching the boy walk the opposite direction from them.

“I thought you were going to tell him.” Maki looked up at Kaito, who looked up at the stars longingly.

“I— I know- He was just in such a good mood today, I didn’t want to ruin it for him- I’ll tell him soon, I promise-“ He looked at the girl next to him with a smile. She huffed, glaring at him slightly.

“Don’t worry about me Maki Roll, it’s gonna be alright!” The astronaut-in-training smiled a smile as bright as the crescent moon itself.

Maki sighed, with a dust of pink staining her cheeks. “You’re an idiot..”

~🌺~

After a full week, Shuichi was notified that the first Amami sister had been found. He was happy, of course, but in the back of his mind, he wondered if they’d find them faster if he were there with them. He smothered the thought, and breathed a sigh of relief, wishing the team good luck with finding the rest. He spent his time waiting for the Phantom Thief to carry out his next heist, which was supposed to be soon, according to Shuichi’s deductions.

Another two weeks went by, the second Amami sister was found. Shuichi began to envy the detectives out in the field, working on the Amami case. He had spent the last three weeks solving petty infidelity cases that usually took him less than an hour to sort out, and the occasional missing person, in which the “missing” person always turned out to be in a family member’s or friend’s house.  
Shuichi never wanted to feel like he was too good for folks that needed his skill, but he hated to admit, he was bored.

What bothered him most though, was the Phantom Thief. Correction, the _lack_ of the Phantom Thief.  
It was almost a full month without a single activity from him or D.I.C.E. Had he come to visit Shuichi, he wouldn’t be worried, but he didn’t. He hadn’t seen the thief in almost a month, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t concerned for him.

It wasn’t in the thief’s nature to suddenly disappear, especially after he expressed how much it bothered him when Shuichi himself was gone for a month without telling him.

Shuichi leaned on his hand, staring at a file that recorded the Phantom Thief’s activity. There had never been more than two weeks without a heist of some sort, so this was definitely a first.  
Shuichi’s uncle came up beside him, noticing the file he was looking through.  
“So, you noticed too, huh?”

The detective jumped slightly in surprise, turning around to see the older male. “H-Huh—?”

“You’ve also noticed our friend, the Phantom Thief being inactive as of lately, right?” He repeated, more clearly.

“Oh, um, yeah—“

“I was just planning to organize a team for us to end him once n’ for all, it’s the perfect time. He’s inactive, maybe vulnerable! Hell, there are rumors going around saying that it was him who caused the Amami sisters to go missing, as a distraction!”

Shuichi blinked. “That doesn’t correlate with his activity or my evide—“

“What I’m tryin’ to say is that this is your moment! It’s time to get him behind bars.” Before Shuichi could reply, his uncle began walking out. “I’ll organize a team meeting regarding the matter! I’ll see you soon!”

Shuichi stared at the now empty doorway, dumbfounded. His uncle was right, this was indeed the best time to strike, but the thought of his beloved thief behind bars made Shuichi’s chest stir with anxiety.

During the team meeting, all Shuichi could think about was the thought of their games ending, the thought of him not being able to run after him, or obsess over his case, or laugh with him, or kiss—  
An idea hit the detective’s mind. More so a plan, albeit not a very legal one. The only way he could keep his team from finding him, was getting a head start and collecting all the evidence to keep it from them. To find his thief first, before the police could lay a finger on him.

He nodded to himself, biting his lip in anxiety. He knew exactly where to start.

~🌸~

The detective stood in front of the abandoned building, that the Supreme Leader himself confirmed was a backup base for D.I.C.E.

The building looked to be empty, but he could never be too careful. He walked over to the door, wearily putting his hand on the doorknob. There was no way they didn’t have some kind of trap beyond this door. He attempted to turn the knob, locked, of course. The detective took a breath, and lifted his leg, kicking the door. To no avail to get it open, he tried a second time, putting his full bodyweight into the kick, which made the door give in and open with a loud bang and creak.

He was careful as to not enter yet, he stepped aside from the doorframe for a moment, as if he were waiting for something. On cue, what seemed to be a pan came hurling through the doorway, had Shuichi entered, he would have surely been hit in the face with what looked to be a lemon pie. He rolled his eyes, this was exactly the kind of trap he expected of the thief.

He waited for a few more seconds, and saw that there didn’t seem to be anything else, so he finally walked through the door. The second he walked past the doorframe, he heard loud banging sounds, which must have been gunshots, practically giving him a heart attack as he automatically dropped to the ground and covered his head, breathing heavily. The sounds stopped, and he opened an eye to look around. He remembered the fact that D.I.C.E were strictly against the use of violence. So what was up with the gunshots?  
He grew suspicious, and formed a theory in his head as he stood up and walked towards the doorframe, kneeling down to study it. There was an unnatural hole drilled into the doorframe, there must have been a sensor on the other side of the hole. He confirmed his suspicions upon seeing what looked like a speaker built into the wall.  
The sensor built into the doorframe activated speakers that projected the sounds of gunshots, a good tactic to easily scare off anyone who tried to enter, besides the detective of course.

What intrigued the detective was the fact he was standing in an empty room, with no stairs or ladder, or anything like a window. There must’ve been a trick to it, there were definitely more floors to the building.  
Shuichi walked alongside the walls, tapping them with his knuckles as he looked around. It was dark room, only illuminated by the sunlight coming from the open door. The walls were grey, stained and slightly moldy, the paint easily peeled off of the walls, revealing a white plaster base. Shuichi stopped upon hearing a different sound when he knocked on a certain part of the wall.  
Hollow.

He took a step back and examined the wall, knowing the Phantom Thief, he suspected there would be some cliché dramatic way to reveal it’s secrets. He dragged his palm across the wall, looking for something. He found it, pushing against a certain part of the wall, it turned out to be a button that opened the wall, revealing a staircase.  
Shuichi rolled his eyes with a smile, it was just like the thief to use these dramatic “secret door” tropes.

The detective made his way up the stairs, almost proud of himself in the back of his mind. He took a breath as he looked around the place, it wasn’t as eccentric as he expected it to be, but he assumed that the thief saved that for the main base.  
The first thing that caught his eye was a table in the middle of the room, he walked over to it, stepping over some crumpled papers and empty Panta cans.

The table was littered with all sorts of things, playing cards, dice, poker chips, crayons of various colors, empty papers and papers with childish drawings, and more empty cans of Panta, and a couple of other sugary drinks.  
Shuichi furrowed his eyebrows, mumbling to himself. “I really hope this isn’t all that they drink..” None of the items seemed unique in any way, the only thing that really caught his attention were the poker chips. He picked one up, examining it. The design was unlike any he’d ever seen before, it was an emblem in the shape of a check mark, with different designs made up of lines in it. The other side had a symbol of a white dragon.  
With a tilted head, Shuichi stuck one of the chips into his pocket, just incase it was relevant.

He moved on, looking through room after room throughly.  
In one of the rooms, he found a whiteboard with pictures of himself and his team that would generally show up to Phantom Thief cases. Under each picture was the person’s name, and what seemed to be a general description of what the Phantom Thief thought of them. The whiteboard seemed dusty, and some of the marker was worn out, leading Shuichi to conclude that the thief did this when he first began his heists.

Out of curiosity, Shuichi skimmed through the descriptions, curious to know what the leader’s first impression of him was.

_Shuichi Saihara  
Ultimate Detective!!!  
Not boring  
Low confidence (emo hat???)  
Trustworthy?_

The detective couldn’t help but smile a little, shaking his head. It was just so fitting for him to write something like that.

Finding nothing else of interest, he moved one to the other rooms, most of them were mostly empty. He stumbled upon the room that the thief kept him in when he was supposedly “kidnapped”. He had already looked through this room when he was there two months ago, but decided to do another quick skim through. He couldn’t help but look at some of the strange drawings on the table, wondering what the purpose of them were. He decided to take a photo of the evidence, anything could come in handy.  
Shuichi flipped through some of the drawings, and came across one that was different from the others. It wasn’t a blueprint, it was a childish drawing of 11 people standing together, all with smiles on their faces, holding hands. D.I.C.E, Shuichi thought to himself. He couldn’t help the soft smile on his face, there was something so innocent and warm about the drawing. His eyes made their way to the corner of the drawing, it read “K.O!” Shuichi wondered what the acronym had to do with the drawing, then realized it was possible that it was actually a signature. It must have been the Phantom Thief who drew the drawing, it correlated with all the others.... Were those his initials?  
The detective folded the drawing carefully, putting it in his pocket.

He searched the rest of the building as thoroughly as he could, and by sunset, he had found a few things that interested him, but he wasn’t sure if they’d lead him to the location of the main base. He sighed, deciding to head back home for the day. Perhaps he needed to analyze the clues he had in peace and quiet.

~🌸~

Upon arriving home, Shuichi made himself a cup of tea, and organized the evidence he had on his desk neatly. He sipped on the herbal flavored drink as he decided to look through the thief’s file, albeit for the millionth time, but he found that it was better to start from the beginning when working on a case.  
As he flipped through the basic information, something out of place caught his eye. At the bottom of the page, there was a scribble that wasn’t there before, the detective didn’t recognize the handwriting. The scribble read “Liar’s Dice”.  
Shuichi leaned on his hand, pondering what that meant. Clearly, the Phantom Thief had written it as a hint, most likely when he was last there at Shuichi’s house, a month ago.

After thinking about it for a couple of minutes, he sighed as he scrunched his nose in frustration. He couldn’t connect the phrase to anything he ever heard of before. He couldn’t just leave such a vital clue be, so he pulled out his laptop, praying that he could find something useful on the internet.

When he put “Liar’s Dice” in the search bar, what came up surprised him. Liar’s Dice was the name of a gambling game played with dice.  
The detective reached into his pocket, pulling out the poker chip he had found in the building.  
The connections to gambling were rather strange, but they were definitely not a coincidence. The clue was left deliberately, so it was a promising lead that Shuichi had to follow.

He grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contacts, his finger then stopped and tapped on a name.  
He didn’t usually like to ask people for favors, but he didn’t have another choice. Besides, the guy insisted on leaving Shuichi his number if he ever needed help. Shuichi had helped him with an infidelity case in the past, the man was truly grateful that the detective was able to prove that his wife was seeing other people.  
The man also just so happened to work in the National Intelligence Agency, meaning he had access to all public information of every Ultimate known in the country. Shuichi didn’t want to exploit his connections, but he figured it would probably be a useful one to have, so he graciously accepted the man’s number when he offered it to him.

And here he was, calling him at long last.

He heard the phone pick up, and a gruff, but friendly “Hello?”

“Ah... Hello, this is Detective Shuichi Saihara.. We met a few months back..?” He stated, leaning back in his chair as he twirled the poker chip through his fingers.

“Oh, detective! How nice of you to call, I assume you need my help, what can I do for you?”

“Well, I was hoping to get some information on the Ultimate Gambler.”


	6. A Gamble for High Stakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _As long as he could convince himself, he could convince everyone else. That’s what he believed. He just needed to lie to himself, convince himself he was a different person, like the Ultimate Gambler, to wear a mask and surround himself with lies, much like the Phantom Thief._
> 
> Shuichi's investigation begins, he takes the gamble of a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi's investigation really begins now! There are some guest appearances in this chapter~
> 
> Also, thank you for all the support and your kind comments! I cannot express how much they mean to me. Thank you for reading!

Shuichi stood in front of the mansion gates, anxiety welling in his chest. It was a huge house, it must’ve taken up at least 25,000 square feet of land. There were marble chiseled pillars on the exterior, accompanied by well kept hedges in neat rectangular form, and roses with a blood red hue, it was almost intimidating. The detective could tell that there was at least 200 people in there. He was never one for crowds, and often went out of his way to avoid large gatherings, but it seemed he didn’t have a choice this time around.

The reason he was here in the first place was simple enough, this was where he was told he’d find the Ultimate Gambler that night.  
The setting seemed to be a party or gathering organized by some of the richest and shadiest people in Tokyo, it didn’t necessarily comfort Shuichi, knowing that potentially dangerous people would be present, but he was already lucky enough that the Ultimate Gambler was in Tokyo, so he had to jump at the chance. With a few lengthy phone calls and some extra detective work, Shuichi managed to find someone that could fabricate a convincing invitation to get him through the mansion doors.  
Which led him here.

He held the fake invitation to his chest tightly. God forbid he was found out now, he’d be in huge trouble. The thought almost made him want to give up and turn around, but something else kept him going. Yes, it was the thought of the Phantom Thief, but there was something else. It was fun. Despite being anxious out of his mind, Shuichi got a great kick of adrenaline doing the cases he wasn’t supposed to be doing. The risk made him feel alive, it made him feel like he was doing something important.  
It made him feel like the Ultimate Detective.

Taking a deep breath, the detective pulled his best “put together” face, and walked up to the gate with confidence faker than the invitation he gave the bouncer.  
The man, dressed in a well-tailored and expensive black suit, studied the invitation with precision, then gave the detective a nod, allowing him through. Shuichi nodded in return, taking back the invitation and walking inside. After a few steps, he let out the breath he had been holding. Everything was fine. Everything was going great. That’s what he told himself.  
It was on to step two, finding the Ultimate Gambler herself.

The detective walked into the the building, the sounds of a live band playing jazz and numerous people talking filled his ears. He was slightly overwhelmed by the crowd, and found himself walking against the wall, away from groups of people. He looked around the room thoroughly, but saw no one that fit her description.  
He continued looking around, peaking his head into different rooms, but to no avail. He figured he’d have to leave the comfort of the wall, and venture out into the middle of the vast room.

He sighed as he let go of the wall, he tried to keep his eyes up to look at where he was going. He had developed a habit of looking down ever since he ditched his hat, a part of him regret it.  
He saw the things he expected to see. A bar, a table with neatly placed trays of hors d'oeuvres - which Shuichi found he didn’t hate - the band, and obnoxious rich bastards, who didn’t appreciate an ounce of what they had. Everyone was dressed in sharp, expensive black tie. Shuichi felt judgmental eyes on his own outfit, which was fancy but not all that expensive. He knew that rich people could sniff out a fake name-brand when in the vicinity of one, so he made sure to not linger in one place for too long.  
The detective then spotted a crowd of people who seemed to be gathered around something, or someone. He decided to take a look, just in case it was important.

When the detective managed to get into a position where he could see something, what he saw in the middle of the circle of people most definitely caught his interest. Two people sitting at a table with playing cards and poker chips, they looked much different than everyone else in the room.  
The female at the table was dressed in what looked like Gothic-Lolita fashion. Her skin was pale, almost white, while her hair was a sleek, ashy black, with two drills at the sides of her head. That must’ve been her, no one else could possibly fit the description. She wore an innocent, yet somehow also devilish smile on her face as she watched her opponent turn his cards over. Cheering ensued.

Shuichi seemed to have come at the perfect time, since after that round, the dealer announced a short recess. The Ultimate Gambler sat up straight in her chair, indulging in small talk with her opponent.  
Shuichi took a breath, but mustered up the courage to walk up to the woman.

“Ah,, Excuse me?” He interrupted their conversation in the most polite way he could possibly muster, he felt judgmental gazes pierce into his body like daggers. A part of him preferred being actually stabbed with daggers rather than be in this situation.  
The two looked up at the detective, who wore a nervous smile on his face. He did his best to hide his anxiety, but he could tell that the two players could see right through his confidence schtick. That was one of the skills of a gambler, after all.  
“Sorry for interrupting.. I just- I need to talk to you- Celestia Ludenberg, right? It’s important..”

The Ultimate Gambler tilted her head. “What do you need?” She asked. Her voice intrigued Shuichi a lot, it was quite soft, and she spoke with what seemed to be a rather strange German accent.

“Um... It’s kind of.. private? If we could step aside for a moment...”

The gambler looked hesitant to comply, and looked at her opponent. He nodded, waving his hand dismissively.  
“I think you should hear what he has to say..” The male spoke.

Shuichi looked at him properly this time, the Ultimate Gambler’s opponent was a sickly pale, silver haired guy, who wore a baggy green coat. The detective could have sworn he had seen his face somewhere, but what intrigued him more was the expression he wore.  
The silver-haired male seemed to recognize Shuichi with the way he was eying him, it was the expression the detective noticed a lot when people would point him out on the street and such. Surprisingly, the guy didn’t say anything else, he simply smiled a soft smile at the detective, Shuichi felt like those piercing grey eyes saw through his soul. His expression practically screamed “I want to see what happens next”. Was this some kind of cruel joke on his part?

Celestia Ludenberg ultimately complied with his request, and lead Shuichi to an empty room. Numerous eyes followed their movements up until they disappeared into the room.  
“What is it that you need?” She questioned rather formally. Shuichi found her fancy act intriguing, it was as if she expected him to treat her like royalty. Hell, that’s probably exactly what she expected. Ultimates were often strange, over-the-top people, Shuichi noticed. He found the topic interesting, but shook it out of his mind for the time being.

“I have some questions I need to ask you. Just answer them and I’ll leave you be..” He replied, putting his hands in his pockets. He felt the poker chip in his right pocket, and twirled it amongst his fidgeting fingers.

“Why should I have to give you any sort of information?” She raised an eyebrow, but her face stayed calm and innocent.

“Because as the Ultimate Detective, I’m here to investigate a suspicious individual. All I need is some information from you.”

The female’s eyes narrowed slightly. “How did you get in here?”

“I have an invitation.” The detective replied, holding up the invitation for her to see. The gambler gracefully snatched it from his hands, examining it.  
“This is fine craftsmanship.. If you could track me down and get such a convincing fake.. It seems you are the Ultimate Detective.” She tilted her head. “Law enforcement is not supposed to know about this gathering. How many of you are there?”

“...It’s just me, this is a private investigation.” He answered. “Can you please just answer m—“

“Is that even allowed?” She questioned with a sly smile. “Oh my, are you conducting an illegal investigation?” She set a hand over her smirk. Shuichi’s reaction only confirmed her theory.  
“Stop trying to distract me- I need to know what you know about the individual known as the Phantom Thief.”

“Hm... And why should I tell you anything that I know? You have no warrant, no team, and no back up. I can easily get you thrown out.” She stood up, beginning to walk towards the door, in search of a security guard. Shuichi stood in front of the door, blocking her path.

“I would suggest that you move.” The gambler suggested with a smile, which was rather eerie. “I will make sure they go easy on you, how is that?”

“No— Just tell me what you know-“ The detective pleaded.

The gambler stared at him, clearly thinking he was pathetic. “Move, please. You will regret it, Mr. Detective.”

“If you don’t answer, so will you- Please Ms. Ludenberg........ Or should I call you Taeko Yasuhiro?” Shuichi’s tone shifted at the end, he gained a small ounce of real confidence when he saw that he caught her off guard.

The Ultimate Gambler’s façade of an expression dropped into a shocked one. “You—“ She chewed through her fake accent. “How the fuck do you know that?” She hissed, completely losing the German accent altogether. She suddenly sounded like a completely different person, one who was desperate to believe she was someone entirely different than who she really was.

“Look, if you don’t answer my questions, I’ll tell everyone out there who you really are.” The detective gestured towards the door. “So for your sake and mine, just tell me what you know about the Phantom Thief. That’s all I need..”

The gambler took a breath, adopting back the calm smile and accent she had on earlier. He had to admit, the way she could pop back into her fake personality within a second made Shuichi a little nervous.  
“Very well.” She sat on the table, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.  
“He’s the one who wears the strange clown masks, yes? I don’t know too much about him. I have played a few games with him though. He insists on only playing with cards or dice, nothing else. Of course, I won every single time we played, but he was an entertaining opponent. He has potential when it comes to bluffing, and seems to be good at catching lies and reading faces. Unfortunately, when it comes to the other parts, he simply treats it like a child’s game. I even offered to give him advice, but he did not accept. Certainly an endearing character.”

“...I see.. does this mean anything to you?” Shuichi asked as he pulled out the poker chip he had taken the day before and showed it to her.

The gambler leaned towards the chip to take a closer look, and nodded. “This is one of the chips from one of the illegal casinos owned by the yakuza. That is actually the only place I have ever encountered the one you are looking for.”

Shuichi’s heart palpitated for a moment, he couldn’t help but feel anxious that now he may have had to get involved with the yakuza. This was.... completely illegal. He ignored the bouts of fear forming in his chest.

“And... where can I find this place?” The detective managed to utter out, despite his own anxiety.

She giggled slightly, putting a hand over her devilish smile. “Does someone like you really want to get involved with the yakuza? Your shy demeanor and cute little boyish face may work here, but there?” She couldn’t help but laugh.

Shuichi huffed. She wasn’t wrong. Someone like him had no business getting involved with gangsters who were known for their violent antics. But he was having way too much fun and making too much progress to stop now.

“Just- Just tell me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Very well, but I will not be held accountable for your death.”  
Her tone made Shuichi shudder.  
She asked him to open a map on his phone, which he obliged to. After a short explanation which Shuichi made sure to remember, he nodded, thanking her.  
“Thank you.. And sorry—“

“Hm? What for?” Her head tilted with a smile.

“For— Threatening you-?” The detective replied with an awkward smile.

“No worries. I respect what you did, there is a reason they call us ultimates.” Her eerie smile didn’t falter as he put her hands under her chin. “You should track me down again sometime, I’ve always wanted to play a game with a detective, especially an ultimate such as yourself.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that-“ He laughed nervously. “We’ll see-... Um, you won’t tell anybody, right? About this investigation..?”

“I will keep your secrets, and you will keep mine.” She answered blantly. Shuichi simply nodded in reply.

She smiled back and turned to the door, walking out of the room.  
Shuichi sighed, taking a moment to breathe properly. Though he adopted a more assertive personality when interrogating people, he was constantly nervous that he wouldn’t get the answers he needed, or mess up, or accidentally drop his assertive façade, or say something he wasn’t supposed to, or embarrass himself and lose his title and job or—  
Well, it was fine now, his next stop was an... illegal casino.  
_‘That’ll go fantastically.’_ He sarcastically thought to himself. He took a final breath, and walked out.  
His hand was immediately grabbed upon walking out of the room by a cold hand. He let out a startled yelp and looked up to see who the hand belonged to. Ah, it was that silver-haired boy who was the gambler’s opponent.

The male shook Shuichi’s hand, the detective had no idea what to think, or how to react. “U-Uh—“ He began, but was quickly interrupted.

“Wow, I was so impressed by the way you used your talent! I’ve never seen a detective get information that quickly, and the bit where you threatened to reveal her real name was outstanding, I didn’t see it coming..! But it most definitely made sense, you pulled despair out of her own insecurities to get the hope you needed... incredible..!”

“W-Were you eavesdroppi—“

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” The male let go of his hand. “I didn’t even introduce myself, I’m a pathetic piece of trash...” He laughed and smiled warmly. “I’m Nagito Komaeda, we haven’t met before but I’m a fan of your work!”

“R-Really—?” The detective questioned.

“Oh, I’m a fan of every Ultimate really.. you’re all so full of hope..!” He gripped onto his arms with an expression that no amount of deduction Shuichi did could make him understand. “I’m sorry for interrupting you.. you’re probably busy with a really tough case.. I’m horribly worthless to have you waste your time talking to scum like me.. I’ll be out of your hair now, goodbye!” He turned around, finishing his ramble. “Celeste, let’s get back to our game..!”

Shuichi stared onwards as Komaeda left, disappearing into the crowd.  
That was... strange indeed. No matter, though. It was the least of his concerns now.

~🌺~

The next day at work, Shuichi could hardly focus on the small cases he worked on throughout the day. His head and chest were so full of anxiety about what he was planning to do that night.  
In between cases, he tried to get all the information he could on the place, wanting to be prepared. In the process, he found out that the casino was headed by the Kuzuryu family. And it just so happened to be that the Ultimate Yakuza belonged to that family. Shuichi honestly was unsure if he was insanely lucky or unlucky at that point.

As the end of the work day drew closer, his heart beat faster and adrenaline rapidly coursed through his veins. He was excited, yet terrified. A part of him in the back of his mind consistently told himself he was insane for doing this, he was risking too much. And he was right, but goddamnit, the thrill was too good for him to pass up, it was almost addicting.  
And besides, at the end of the day, it was for his beloved thief - whom he still had conflicting emotions about.

The end of the day arrived, after Shuichi said goodbye to his uncle, he walked out of the building with a nervous smile on his face. He felt as though he was committing treason, which wasn’t completely wrong. He wondered if there was something wrong with him, since it also provoked a spark of excitement in him.

Throughout the bus ride home, Shuichi twirled the black poker chip around his fingers, in his pocket.

~🌸~

The detective followed the Ultimate Gambler’s directions to the best of his abilities, and lo and behold, it did indeed, lead to a discreet casino, hidden well from the rest of the country. He heard very well-muffled music, and could barely hear voices. Thick walls, soundproof perhaps.

Before he was within sight of the security at the entrance, Shuichi took a moment to compose himself. He felt as though his rapidly beating heart was visible through his chest.  
He slipped into a public bathroom that was more or less abandoned, anyone in this area would clearly use the bathroom inside of the casino. He took a moment to look at his phone, a few texts from Kaito. He ignored them. Another from his Uncle, he ignored that one too. His mind had to be clear. He put his phone in his pocket and looked at the mirror. He had picked out a navy blue pinstriped suit with a black button up to match, he was reminded of the Phantom Thief’s comment on how he usually wore those colors. He decided to make one last alteration to his look, to really sell his character. He turned on the faucet of the sink, the water was freezing, the water bills went to the casino, he assumed. Bringing up his wetted hand to his head, he slicked his hair back, ridding himself of the strands of hair that was always in his face. There was no way they’d buy his character if he looked like a shy little emo boy, hiding under a hat. Hiding under his hair. Hiding under a mask.

The detective took a deep breath. He had to play a role, and he had to play it with confidence. This was the Yakuza he was fucking with, if they didn’t buy his act, he’s done for. It’s one strike and he’s out.

One of the advantages of being a detective was meeting a large array of personalities and studying them. It gave the detective a good idea of how certain people behaved, and was useful when Shuichi made theories and predictions to understand criminal’s moves and motives. This also gave Shuichi some unexpected, yet respectable acting skills. He thought back to the time he fooled the entire police department into thinking he was the Phantom Thief, and how proud he was that he’d succeeded in pulling off that stunt.

He studied his own face in the mirror. He narrowed his eyes, and lost the emotion in his expression. He thought back to Maki’s facial expressions, taking reference from her when she’d threaten them. It was a joke, of course, but she was still subpar when it came to actually looking like she was joking.  
As long as he could convince himself, he could convince everyone else. That’s what he believed. He just needed to lie to himself, convince himself he was a different person, like the Ultimate Gambler, to wear a mask and surround himself with lies, much like the Phantom Thief.

The Ultimate Detective walked out of the restroom, his shoulders stiff and posture perfect. He kept his cold expression as he walked up to the entrance, as he walked past the security, to really sell his bit, he nodded at them. It was just the tilt of the head, a glint of the eye, and that’s all it took. They nodded back, and were fooled by his schtick.  
Shuichi, on the other hand, practically screamed at himself in his head, his anxiety really getting him going when he looked the security guard right in the eye.

At long last he was inside, it felt as though it took him hours, when in reality it was but a few mere seconds of walking.  
He ensured he didn’t break his character as he looked around the place, he felt up the pocket knife he had in his pocket that he had brought as a precaution.

It was loud, crowded and wild, truly all the things Saihara did his best to avoid. Yet now he had walked straight into the lion’s den.  
The casino was what he’d expected it to be. Music, extravagant overly-detailed carpeted floor, bar, food, bright lights, numerous tables with cards, poker chips, dice, roulette wheels, mahjong, and really any other casino game one could think of.

He had no idea where to start, his best bet was someone who was consistently present at the casino. The only person he could think of, was someone from the Kuzuryu family itself.  
He huffed, beginning to walk around as to not look suspicious. He pretended to watch people spin the roulette wheel as he thought. What would someone from the Kuzuryu family look like? His eyes followed the ball, as it rolled around the tilted circular track at the edge of the roulette wheel. The typical high-class yakuza, he thought. Slicked back hair, form-fitting tailored suit, tattoos, surrounded by security guards...  
His thoughts came to a stop when his wandering eyes landed on... a child? Surely, they wouldn’t let a child into a casino, right?

The detective inched closer to the individual he was inspecting. No, not a child, but a very... baby-faced guy. He sighed, shaking his head, he couldn’t be distracted by irrelevant people, he didn’t want to stick around for longer than he had to.  
As he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of something shiny from the corner of his eye. Returning his gaze the the boy he was looking at earlier, he spotted a silver pin on the male’s suit. Shuichi pulled out the poker chip from his pocket, and studied it. That pin he wore matched the Kuzuryu Clan’s symbol. The detective’s eyes darted back to him, how hadn’t he noticed earlier? His tie had a symbol of a white dragon on it, matching the one engraved on the chip.  
Could he be the one he was looking for? The evidence certainly pointed to it.

Putting the chip back in his pocket, Shuichi took a breath, ensuring he was in character, and walked over to the shorter male. He was not at all what he expected, he was short and quite thin, his hair was a dusty blonde crew cut, with lines shaved into the sides of his head. As Shuichi approached, he noticed that he had a dusting of freckles on his nose. Had he not been wearing that black pinstriped suit and tie, he would’ve easily been mistaken for some lost child.

The detective approached cautiously, though not as intimidated as he was before. As he stepped up to the Yakuza, he noticed a girl sat next to him. Grey hair in braids, sharp red eyes, and what seemed to be a bamboo sword on her back, from what Shuichi observed. He thought it was an interesting choice of weapon.  
“Excuse me..” Shuichi tried to mask his usual overly-polite, apologetic tone with a more straight-forward one.

The two looked up at him, the male seemed rather surprised anyone even bothered coming up to him at all. Interesting, the detective thought.  
“Kuzuryu?” Shuichi asked, keeping his gaze on the shorter male.

“Yeah. The hell you want?” He spat. Shuichi would have been taken aback if he wasn’t talking to a Yakuza.  
“I have business with you. I need to talk to you.” Shuichi maintained his calm composure.

“Business? What kinda business?” The yakuza questioned. Before Shuichi could answer, the male groaned.  
“Jesus fuck, I can’t hear shit over this goddamn music! Let’s chat somewhere else!” He shouted over the loud music, Shuichi nodded in agreement, at least they were on the same page in regards to that.

Kuzuryu stood up, simply motioning for Shuichi to follow. The grey-haired woman silently followed the two, wielding the bamboo sword on her back.  
The three went up some stairs that were guarded by two burly men, the size difference between the two men and their boss baffled Shuichi, but he kept his face straight as he followed the Yakuza.

They arrived in an empty room, the walls were black and the carpet grey, there was a couch, coffee table, gigantic plasma TV on the wall, and a fish tank that lined the left side of the wall, the room was dimly lit by various decorative lights.

Kuzuryu sat in one of the chairs, the woman with the bamboo sword closed the door behind them, and stood next to the exit as though she were guarding it. He motioned for Shuichi to have a seat, to which he graciously obliged to.

“Well? The hell do you want? Spit it out already.” He impatiently bickered.

“There are some things I wanted to ask you about—“

“Hold the fuckin’ phone- I know you.” The yakuza suddenly interrupted, he sat up straight, getting a good look at the detective.  
“Shit, you’ve gotta be kidding me. You’re that fucking famous detective.” He glared with narrow eyes.  
“Fuck no. I’m not getting involved with your bullshit, if the police wants to fuck with my family, I’ll give ‘em your dead body as a warning.” He snapped his fingers, within seconds, the woman at the door unsheathed her sword, walking towards the detective.

Shuichi stood up, alarmed at the escalation of the situation.  
“W-W-Wait—! Hold on a second, this has nothing to do with your family I- I’m just here to ask about someone who comes here often—“ The detective sputtered out as he backed himself into the corner of the room, his calm façade dropping and shattering into a million pieces before them.

Kuzuryu stopped the swordswoman, for a brief second, he showed a face of pity for the detective, but it quickly turned into a scowl.  
“The hell do you want then? Who are you talkin’ about?” He barked, standing up to face the detective.

“I heard that the Phantom Thief has been here, more times than once. I just want to know what you know about him—“

“Why the fuck should I tell you anything? Who’s here with you?”

“N-No one— The police don’t know I’m here—“ The detective admitted. “I just- I need this information. It’s for an investigation. If you have information you can’t withhold it from the police—“

He yakuza scoffed, laughing a bit. “You can’t threaten me with police when you’re the one conducting an illegal investigation. What are you gonna do? Shit boss! This yakuza’s not answering my questions to my illegal investigation I’ve been conducting without your permission! Please don’t fire me!” He simply laughed at the detective, rolling his eyes. “Get lost.” He snapped his fingers once again, the swordswoman made her way towards Shuichi.

“W-Wait-! There has to be something you can tell me- There’s gotta be something I can do—!” He desperately looked to the yakuza with pleading eyes as the woman grabbed him by his wrists, pulling him towards the door.

“Wait.” The yakuza suddenly spoke up, like clockwork, the swordswoman let go of Shuichi.  
“Have you.....” Kuzuryu hesitated for a moment. “Have you solved murders?” He asked the detective, his hands curling into fists.

“H-Huh–? Oh, yeah-! Yeah, I have-“ Shuichi sputtered out, slightly overwhelmed by everything that was happening.

Kuzuryu looked towards the woman behind Shuichi, there was a small, almost unnoticeable glint of hope in his eyes. It was as though they had just had a silent conversation in front of the detective.

“Here’s the deal, detective. Solve the murder of my sister, and I’ll give you the information you need.”


	7. A Scandal in Hope's Peak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _If you keep a liar talking, they will always slip up somewhere. No matter how skilled the liar, there will always be a hole or a mistake in their story. A slip of the tongue was all it took to expose a lie._
> 
> Shuichi pays a visit to Hope’s Peak, intent on solving the murder of Nastumi Kuzuryu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I know this chapter's a little short, but it's mostly because this is more of a "side quest" for Shuichi. Enjoy!

A wave of nostalgia washed over the detective as he stood in front of the gates of Hope’s Peak. The last time he was here was just a year ago, he had attended the school for two years. He was offered a spot after being proclaimed as the Ultimate Detective, and despite him not believing he was worthy, Hope’s Peak never took no for an answer.

It was the middle of the day, there weren’t supposed to be any classes at the moment, so he figured it was the best time to come. He had managed to convince his boss that this was relevant to another smaller case he was working on, and was granted a warrant to investigate within the academy.  
Shuichi walked over to the security guard at the gate, he didn’t recognize him, must’ve been new. He took that into account.

“Who’re you?” The security guard immediately asked upon seeing the detective. He was tall, muscular, tanned skin, with ashy green hair and pink tinted eyes.

“Ah, Shuichi Saihara, Ultimate Detective-“

“Sorry kid, no uniform. Can’t let you in. Get lost.” He replied with the cross of the arms.

“O-Oh no, you misunderstand-“ The detective smiled awkwardly as he pulled out his police badge to show him. “I graduated from here last year.. I’m actually here for an investigation. I have a warrant.” He held the signed paper with his second hand.  
The taller male opened his mouth to seemingly object, but upon studying the warrant and badge he stopped himself. He huffed, stepping aside.  
“Don’t cause any trouble.”

As he watched the detective walk past him with a thank you, the guard lifted his walkie talkie to his mouth. His eyes followed the detective’s movements intently.  
“Police sent in a detective to the school. I don’t know what the hell he’s here for, but keep an eye on him.”

Shuichi thought back to the details of the case Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu had told him last night. His younger sister, Nastumi Kuzuryu was murdered just last month. She was found dead in the building’s music room. Estimated time of death is 5pm. She was apparently clubbed in the head. There was no body to inspect, so Shuichi had to trust the details Fuyuhiko gave him. He had also told him that Hope’s Peak officials said that a pervert had broken into the school and killed her, but he didn’t buy the story one bit. If Shuichi was honest, he didn’t either. The only piece of evidence that presumably supported that was the fact that the girl’s swimsuit was stolen, but that meant nothing to Shuichi. Anyone could have done that.

The detective entered the building, feeling various eyes on him. His walking pace sped up as he walked up the stairs, looking for a class. Fuyuhiko told him that he would find the 77th class on the third floor, and that’s where the first person he was advised to interrogate was located.

He stopped in front of the classroom, taking a breath. He could hear a few voices chatting amongst each other from the other side of the door.  
The detective set his hand on the handle, and slid the door open. All eyes in the classroom turned towards him, making him break out into a cold sweat.  
He instantly recognized 3 faces, Fuyuhiko and the swordswoman, whose name was apparently Peko Pekoyama as she introduced herself yesterday, and the third was Nagito Komaeda, who he had met two days prior.

The first to break the silence was a woman, who stood in the front of the classroom. She wore a white apron, and her long ginger ponytail bounced as she spoke. She looked a few years older, Shuichi deduced that she must have been the teacher.

“Hello there, what can we do for you?” She questioned rather cheerfully, putting her arms behind her back. Definitely a teacher, he noted.

“Ah, um.. I’m Detective Saihara, I’m here regarding a police investigation.. I believe I’m looking for a Koizumi Mahiru...?” He smiled awkwardly.  
The students’ heads turned to a red-headed girl, who held a camera in her hands. She looked slightly startled, and seemingly looked to her teacher, silently asking her what to do.

“Go on, Mahiru!” The teacher smiled reassuringly, she had one of those smiles anyone could confide in, Shuichi noticed.

“It’ll be quick—“ The detective promised. “Really, it’ll just take a few minutes, it shouldn’t be something to worry about..”  
_Unless you’re the murderer.._ He stopped himself from adding that last bit.

The photographer slowly stood up, and followed the detective out of the room.  
“A-Am I in trouble—??” She immediately asked after closing the class door. Shuichi took note of the fact that she immediately assumed she was in trouble for... something she thinks she did. Interesting.

“No, no... I’m just here to ask you a few questions regarding the murder of Natsumi Kuzuryu. I was told that you knew her..”

“Oh— Fuyuhiko’s sister-? I thought that case was already closed.. A pervert killed her, no?”

She was quick to accept that, it seemed. Was it because she truly believed it, or because she wanted to convince herself that was the truth? Or perhaps Shuichi was overthinking again and not answering a question posed at him.

“H-Huh-?” He snapped out of his thought. “Oh, um.. I’m looking through the case again and.. there may be some... inconsistencies. I just want to know what your relationship with her was, and if you interacted with her before she was killed, or noticed anything in particular really...”

She paused to think for a moment. Why think so hard? Was she forming a lie? Was she thinking about something relevant? Questions engulfed Shuichi’s mind, he took out a notepad, awaiting her testimony. She began to speak, Shuichi wrote.

_Mahiru Koizumi  
Nervous (guilty?)  
bullied by victim (negative relationship, revenge murder?????)  
Were together in photography class in middle school  
Spoke to victim day before murder  
Found corpse along with Mikan Tsumiki, Hiyoko Saionji, and Ibuki Mioda (remember to interview next!!!)  
Heard glass break before finding body (window?)_

Shuichi eyed his notes intently as the photographer fidgeted with her fingers, clearly anxious to be released. “Is that all you need?”

“I think so.. thank you. By the way, is there anyone else that knew her? Someone close to her maybe?”

“Um... I guess Sato knew her.....” She looked down nervously for a moment, then seemed to try and correct herself. “I mean she didn’t exactly know her— They were just in the Reserve Course together, that’s all-“

Shuichi nodded, taking her reaction into account as he jotted down the name “Sato”.  
“Thank you for your cooperation.. Could you call out Mikan Tsumiki next?”

Mahiru nodded eagerly, obviously relieved to be done with the interrogation. She walked into the classroom and called the Ultimate Nurse to come out.

This continued for the next fifteen to twenty minutes, Shuichi talked to each of the girls that were present when the body was found. He found that two things were explicitly mentioned - the sound of glass breaking, and the fact that Natsumi was viewed as a cruel bully. He found it interesting that they felt obligated to say that, as if they were trying to justify the murder.  
Shuichi poked his head into the classroom and bowed slightly with a soft smile. “Thank you all for the cooperation... Have a nice day..”  
He made eye contact with Fuyuhiko for a brief moment, the yakuza nodded at him with a small smile.

~🌸~

As Shuichi made his way to the Reserve Course building, he decided to stop next to the building with the music room. He wanted to look at the window from the outside.  
From what he was told, the music room was on the second floor. It made Shuichi wonder how the culprit managed to escape unscathed. He spotted the window from the ground, seeing the red curtains of the music room.  
No trees, no rail, nowhere for the culprit to walk along the edge... It wasn’t a fatal jump, but it would definitely hurt, especially if they left in a hurry.  
The detective took that fact into account as he walked into the Reserve Course building. He was greeted by the sight of groups of students, all dressed in the Reserve Course uniforms, which were different from the Main Course ones. He asked around, telling the students he was looking for a Sato. They all pointed him to the second floor, describing her as a girl with wavy green hair and deep violet eyes.

Shuichi made his way up the stairs, the atmosphere in the Reserve Course was much more different than the Main Course, and it wasn’t in a good way either. He felt glares being shot at his direction.

Eventually, he found a girl that matched the description he was given. He cautiously made his way up to her, tapping her shoulder gently.  
“Excuse me-?”

“What?” She turned around, taking a step back. She set her hands on her hips as she eyed the detective.  
“And you are..?”

“Detective Saihara... I’m here to speak to you about the murder of Natsumi Kuzuryu..”  
Eyes locked onto the two upon hearing the detective’s demand. Whispering ensued.

“Uh, what do I have to do with her?” She scoffed, crossing her arms.

“I was told you’ve had.... encounters.. with her..” The detective chose his words carefully, he could quickly tell she was one with a short temper.

“Encounters? Yeah, like the time she pushed me in the Chem Lab and glass cut my arm open? Or when she like, gee, I don’t know! Threatened to murder me and Mahiru? She’s a yakuza. That’s what happens to people like them.” She stated her point, clearly confident in her reasoning.

“I-“ Shuichi began, but his anxiety kept him from speaking. The amount of eyes on him now made his heart skip beats at a time. “C— Could we continue this somewhere else-?” He asked, clearly nervous at the forming crowd.

She shrugged. “Whatever, I guess.” She walked into an empty class, the detective graciously followed, closing the door behind them.

“Look, I’m not trying to threaten you or anything— I just want to know what you know about her, I heard you were also present when her corpse was found..”

“Well yeah. All I really know about her is that she’s a bully, and a narcissist. She hated everyone in the Reserve Course and tried to bully Mahiru to the point she’d leave the Main Course and a spot would open up to her.” She leaned on the side of a desk. “You know, I know the police don’t care, but not every victim is actually the victim.”

Shuichi sighed, scribbling in his notepad. “Murder is still murder...”

“I don’t see why you’re investigating this. She was killed by some pervert, I mean, he stole her swimsuit and was probably planning to take advantage of her unconscious body anyways. Really, she got the easy way out..” She twirled a strand of green locks around her finger.

“Did you hear or see anything weird on the day of the murder?” He inquired, already tired of asking the same questions over and over.  
Once again, she told him about the sound of the glass, and repeated other elements that the other girls had already mentioned.

Eventually, he felt he got the answers he needed from her.  
“Thanks for cooperation...” He repeated, eyes skimming through his notes. “Do you know anyone else that knew her who could potentially know something?”

Sato leaned backwards in thought. “Umm, you can try Hajime Hinata. Spiky brown hair, kinda boring-normal looking. I’ve seen him talk to her a couple of times. Haven’t seen him in a bit though, so I don’t know where he’s at.” She walked past the detective, exiting the classroom.

“Thanks— I’ll manage-“ His thanks fell on deaf ears, as she was already long gone. Shuichi sighed as he wrote the name Hajime Hinata in his pad. He exited the classroom, walking down the stairs. Spotting what must of been a teacher, an older man, probably in his fifties, Shuichi jogged over to him.  
“Hey— Do you work here? I’m looking for a Hajime Hinata-??”

The man took no time to think, interestingly, he seemed to recognize the name instantly. “Unfortunately, Hinata was expelled just two weeks ago. Sorry, we can’t do anything if he isn’t a part of our program anymore.”

Shuichi nodded and thanked him, going on his way, eager to exit the Reserve Course building. It gave him a bad feeling. He crossed the name Hajime Hinata off, he had no time to track down another student now. He’d have to make do with what he had. He probably was irrelevant anyways.

~🌺~

The detective watched the leaves on the trees sway as the sun in the sky began to lower. He sat in the shade, under a tree in Hope’s Peak’s courtyard.  
He had progressed a lot today, but still didn’t come to a conclusion. He had a few theories, but no solid evidence to back it up. There was also the great disadvantage of the case being a month ago, rather than recent.

Shuichi set his pad on the ground. He had to go through everything he had, from the beginning to the end.

_Basic info.  
Victim: Natsumi Kuzuryu  
Estimated time of death: 5pm  
Location of corpse: Hope’s Peak Music Room, 2nd floor  
Weapon delivered a club to the victim’s head, resulting in instant death.  
Weapon unknown._

Shuichi rubbed his eyes, beginning to skim through what the interviewees told him.  
They all had a similar motive, especially Mahiru and Sato, the victims of Natsumi’s relentless bullying. The fact she was a bully, made her the perfect target for revenge. But would the two victims be driven to murder? They were high school girls after all.  
Yes, they spoke illy of her, especially Sato, who seemed to hate her with every inch of her being, but being driven to murder is a different, and more complicated story. For all he knew, it could have been some other random student she victimized. It could’ve been a pervert. It could’ve been—

And that’s when the truth slapped him silly. He was overthinking it all, he let his thoughts go too fast. The answer was staring him right in his face, if only he had paid closer attention. It was easy, it was so goddamn easy.

If you keep a liar talking, they will always slip up somewhere. No matter how skilled the liar, there will always be a hole or a mistake in their story. A slip of the tongue was all it took to expose a lie. Much like the Phantom Thief, who had accidentally revealed the fact he was an Ultimate to the detective, in this case, the murderer had revealed their identity straight to Shuichi's face.

_"She was killed by some pervert, I mean, he stole her swimsuit and was probably planning to take advantage of her unconscious body anyways."_

Her unconscious body.

The details of the case strictly said that the blow to the head resulted in instant death. Of course, the police had no way of knowing if the victim was unconscious beforehand. Unless the murderer had said it themselves.

The detective grabbed his notes, and practically scurried out of the courtyard, running to the Main Building with his newfound adrenaline. His shoes made loud noises against the wood as he ran up the stairs, making his way to the 77th class. He prayed they were still there.  
When he heard voices on the other side of the door, he composed himself. Honestly, the high he got out of solving cases was starting to get out of hand.

When his breath slowed down, he slowly opened the door to the class. Once again, all heads turned to him, there were less students than last time, but thankfully Fuyuhiko was still there, along with Pekoyama.  
“S-Sorry for interrupting again-!” The detective sincerely apologized. “I need Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu.”

The yakuza’s head instantly shot up at his name. He looked at Shuichi, tilting his head as though he was silently asking him a question.  
The detective only nodded with a sharp smile. The yakuza stood up, his left hand motioning for Pekoyama to stay put where she was. Clearly, she didn’t like the idea.  
With his hands in his pockets, the yakuza sauntered to the detective, appearing less hopeful than he truly was. They were both outside of the class at last.

“Did you-? You’re a hundred percent sure?” Fuyuhiko questioned with a desperate look in his eyes.

The detective nodded, confidently enough to convince the yakuza.  
“Sato.”

The shorter male took a few moments to process the answer, his hands curled to fists in the process.  
“I shoulda—“ He hissed. “I shoulda fucking known.” His head looked downwards, shaking.

“Fuyuhi—“

“Thanks.” He looked back up at the detective with a smile. It was a strange smile, it wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t sad either. “I’ll hold up my end of the deal. I’ll tell you what you want to know. Meet me at the casino tonight. Give me your phone, I’ll give you my number.”

Shuichi saved his number under an emoji of a dragon.


	8. Reality Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The thief in question pouted under his mask. “Aww, is my detective mad that I disappeawed and didn’t give him any intewesting cases to sowve?”_
> 
> Shuichi realizes the concequences of his actions, but is determined to finish what he had started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A longer chapter than usual! This one was very fun to write, and is a huge rollercoaster of emotions oop
> 
> **But unfortunately, I must put a slight Self-Harm warning. It's not explicit or detailed, but it is implied.** I apologize in advance to our beloved detective.

As the evening rolled around and the grand city awoke, the Ultimate Detective made his way to the discreetly hidden casino, on the quiet outskirts of the city. After following the rather detailed directions to the place once again, he arrived, dressed in the same attire he wore last time he was here, slicked back hair and all, which he wasn’t a fan of.  
It’s not that he looked bad with his forehead and face exposed, it was the fact he felt naked without that strand of hair protecting him. It was stupid, he knew. But after ditching his hat, his hair became his new line of defense. He found himself letting it fall over his face more after he stopped wearing his hat. He had considered requesting it back from the thief, but forced himself not to. He didn’t want to go back to step 1, but he felt as though he was there anyways. He constantly found himself staring down at his notepad when interrogating someone, or looking towards the ground when merely walking on a crowded street.

He shook his head, ignoring his account on his eye-contact issue. He was here now, here for more answers about his beloved thief. He silently hoped throughout his investigation that the Phantom Thief would just suddenly show up once again and apologize for his absence, say it was all a game or joke as Shuichi chewed him out. That would’ve been too easy, of course, so here he was, at an illegal casino.

He entered the building, giving a small nod to the security guards at the entrance as he looked straight ahead. Once he was indoors, he began to wander, searching for the Ultimate Yakuza.  
As he passed large groups of people, the various loud sounds around the place gave the detective a headache. Or perhaps it was the lights. Then again, it could also be the lack of water and sleep he got that day. Whatever the cause, the amount of conversations going on around him and loud music pounding straight through his skull wasn’t doing any justice.

His golden tinted eyes landed on the petite form of the Ultimate Yakuza, the shorter male sat on a plush velvet couch, with Pekoyama standing by his side. Shuichi made his way over to the two, they both greeted the detective with a nod.

Shuichi opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Fuyuhiko stood up and motioned for him to follow. The detective obliged graciously, he’d do anything to get away from the overwhelming waves of the music.  
The blond began to lead him to a less populated area of the casino, the swordswoman trailed close behind them. They had stopped a couple of times on the way there, due to people trying to talk to the Ultimate Yakuza. He didn’t take much interest in their small talk, and told each one of them to piss off rather than indulge in chatter. Shuichi felt like he was at a party where he knew no one, and he was following his only friend around. Which is definitely a situation he’s been in before, he shuddered at the thought, he really didn’t want to think back to that one.

At last they arrived at what looked to be the back of the casino, which was more or less deserted. There was a red, velvet curtain that was drooped across the wall. Fuyuhiko used his hand to hold the curtain aside as he walked through, Shuichi followed suit, as did Pekoyama.

“So— Where exactly are we right now—?” Shuichi suddenly asked, realizing he was just absent-mindedly following the male around without asking any questions. His head was filled with various guesses and theories, and questions that were begging to be answered. It didn’t help his headache.

“He’s here.” The Yakuza replied bluntly. Shuchi blinked, then tilted his head.  
“Come again—?”

“The guy you’re looking for.. there.” He motioned towards what looked to be an elevator. It had a keypad next to it.  
“He and that weird group of his. I- I let them stay here when they asked, told them they could as long as they didn’t make themselves known or fuck up business here. Not horrible company, kind of entertaining. I guess.”

A small smile crept it’s way onto Shuichi’s face. “That’s kind of you.”

“Whatever.” The yakuza hissed, his cold demeanor didn’t hide the softness of his heart. “Just don’t go around causing trouble here. And no, I don’t know the code to the keypad. That’s your problem.”

Shuichi nodded, staring at the elevator’s keypad. “Alright..” He paused for a moment, his head turning to the shorter male.  
“Um... What are you gonna do-? About Sato-?”

“The hell d’you think?”

Shuichi’s chest began to stir in anxiety. “I- I guessed that but—“ He bit his lip. “Killing her isn’t gonna get you anything—“

“It’ll get me the satisfaction of knowing my sister’s killer is dead.” He spat, glaring daggers at the detective. “Don’t get involved. You did your part.” He warned.

“I’m just- What if the police catches you-?”

“They know better than to fuck with my family. Besides, we’re talking about Hope’s Peak Academy here. The fuckers will do anything to keep up their reputation, even cover up murders. Or, you know, lie about conducting an investigation and say a girl was murdered by some pervert.” The Yakuza growled. “If you do anything to give me away, detective, your boy toy and his gang are kicked out of here.” He motioned towards the elevator. Shuichi simply nodded obediently.

“Okay.” He managed to say, but his voice cracked in the process, revealing his panicking undertone. He didn’t want to be responsible for a girls death. He didn’t want to live with the fact that his investigation led to some girl dying at the hands of the yakuza. What the hell did he do? He jeopardized a high schooler’s life for his own personal illegal investigation. As that reality hit him, panic rose to his chest, he suddenly forgot about his headache.

Fuyuhiko sighed, seeing the anxiety in Shuichi’s movements. “Look. Sorry. It’s not your fault or anything, don’t blame yourself.” He turned around, beginning to walk towards the curtain. He stopped, turning his head to the detective. “Um. If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you-“ He frowned intensely at the tears forming in the detective’s eyes. “I’ll do it, seriously, anything. I’ve got loads of connections all over the country.”

The yakuza turned to leave with that sentiment, a small pang of guilt in his chest. That wasn’t going to change his actions, though.

“A— Amami.”

“Hm?” The shorter male turned to the detective.

“Could—“ Shuichi took a breath, trying to appear as calm as possible. “Could you see if your so-called connections have spotted girls with the family name of Amami? Their pictures are on the Tokyo Police Department’s website.”

Fuyuhiko nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”  
With that, he left through the blood red curtain, Pekoyama by his side.

Shuichi stared at the ground, comprehending what he had just done. _He got a girl killed? he got a girl killed. he got a girl killed—_   
He spotted a bathroom, and almost ran into the room, locking the door behind him. His legs failed him, and he slid down to the bathroom tiles, back against the door. The detective broke out into a quiet sob, his hands gripping his chest. He felt as if the entire universe was about to collapse onto him. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, as if his lungs refused to intake the oxygen around him. He tried the breathing exercises, but fuck, who cared about the breathing exercises? A girl was going to die, and it was all his fault. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, he thought. He was just trying to find... the goddamned Phantom Thief. It was all his goddamn fault. He just had to exist. And Shuichi just had to get fascinated by him.

It was too much. It was one thing investigating murders, but causing them was a whole other thing. He was ready to put himself in handcuffs and carry himself to the police station. He was absolutely pathetic, crying on the bathroom floor, in an illegal casino. That was the Ultimate Detective for you.

And still, his mind focused on the Phantom Thief. He shook his head at nothing, his breath was staggered as he tried to get it under control. Why was he doing all of this for him? What made him come this far? He wanted to blame it all on the Phantom Thief - for disappearing without telling him, for existing, for making him love him- but the harsher reality was that it was mostly Shuichi’s fault. He didn’t have to go on the date with the thief, he didn’t have to fall in love with him, he didn’t have to illegally conduct the case. But he got excitement from it. He got an ego boost. It gave him adrenaline and joy like he had never gotten before, and he was absolutely ashamed of that.  
He finally understood his title of the Ultimate Detective. If the fact he stayed up days at a time to solve cases, and put his work and clients before himself didn’t show he was obsessed, then this was the final say in it. He had always seen himself as “normal” compared to the other, more eccentric personalities of other Ultimates, but the truth was that he was no different.

And all that went through his mind was fuck. _Fuck fuck fuck FUCK._   
_Bang._

He froze in horror, realizing what he had done. The back of his head ached beyond all meaning, and he felt a trickle of a thick liquid, presumably blood, begin to run down the back of his neck.  
He stood up, but that wasn’t the best call. The impact on his head made standing up a difficult task, the dizziness made Shuichi’s vision blur. He quickly gripped onto the edge of the bathroom sink, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror.  
He looked utterly hopeless and disgusting, his eyes were puffy from crying, his cheeks were flushed and stained with tear markings, his nose practically running a marathon, and now an injury in the back of his head, all caused by him. He didn’t mean to do such a drastic thing. He just wanted to stop thinking and his head moved on it’s own- or did it? Did he just do something like that by his own will? Did he really have the balls to blame it on his reflexes? Was he... lying to himself?  
It didn’t matter now, he reached for the roll of toilet paper that sat next to the sink, grabbing a handful of the paper squares. He wetted the paper and gently brought it to the back of his head, taking a deep breath as he pressed the cold, damp tissues against the wound.

He did manage to calm down at least. His breathing returned to normal and his mind went blank as he focused on stopping the bleeding. He removed the tissues from his head and took a look at them, the bleeding wasn’t horrible, it was just a hit to the head, not a open wound or anything. He presumed that he roughly scraped his scalp against the door’s wood, and that caused the bleeding.

The detective let out a shaky sigh. After ensuring the wound was no longer bleeding, he splashed water onto his face. He still looked like shit, of course, but at least he was calmed down.  
He ultimately decided to ignore the cause of his meltdown, and focused on what he was to do next.

He should end it, he came here to do a job and solve a case. That is what he was going to do, and then he was going to leave, never to return to the casino.

The Ultimate Detective exited the bathroom. Eyes red and puffy, crimson painting his nose and cheeks, and a roaring headache that was ignored due to the fact Shuichi’s thoughts roared louder.

He stood in front of the elevator and examined the keypad on the wall. It was quite the simple one, it was a four-digit code, nothing high-tech or too fancy. It was simple enough for him to work with, he thought as he dug into his shoulder bag. He pulled out a large roll of tape, extending and ripping off a piece with the help of his teeth. Gingerly, he set the tape onto the keypad, after leaving it on for a few seconds, he pulled the tape off gently, examining it.  
Grease stains and small, dead skin cells where fingers had been. Aligning the tape with the keypad, he saw that four different numbers had been pressed exclusively. This shortened the list of possibilities by millions. So the detective got to work, punching in different codes using those four numbers. On his fourth try, the elevator succumbed to the code he input. The sounds of whirring as the elevator presumably rose dug into Shuichi’s headache. The pain was excruciating, but enough to handle for a little while.

The door of the elevator opened, and the detective stepped in. He prayed it was worth it. As the doors closed and the elevator began to go down, Shuichi stared at himself in the mirror. He raised his hand to his hair and ruffled it, letting strands of hair fall over his face. His hair was messy and slightly greasy, he took note to wash his hair when he arrived home today. If he could even make it to the bathroom before collapsing on his bed out of exhaustion.

The doors of the elevator opened, as Shuichi stepped into the base, he took a look around, scanning the area. The walls were painted violet, and the floor was gray. The room he was in didn’t look as eccentric as he had expected it to be, but there were definitely some strange clown-themed decorations that littered the wall. In addition to that, there were newspaper clippings on the wall, each one about the various feats D.I.C.E had accomplished. As Shuichi examined the clippings on the wall, he thought it was rather odd how quiet the place was. He wondered if anyone was even here, but it wasn’t as if he was going to call out and make himself known.

He didn’t have to either way, since the sounds of footsteps approached the room, and a small figure’s eyes landed on the detective. It was a petite girl, with long brown hair that reached her waist, it had braids embedded alongside her ears. Her eyes widened upon spotting the detective, who took a step back, unsure of what to do. He had considered being caught a possibility, but was so tired and out of it that he was unsure of what to do. The girl took a step back as well, quickly covering her face with her hands, even though it was too late and Shuichi had already gotten a glimpse of her features.  
She quickly scurried out of the room, Shuichi wasn’t exactly sure what for, he wasn’t planning on doing anything other than talk, but he quickly understood when he heard the girl cry out for her fellow D.I.C.E members.

“Macao! Cho-han!” She called out, her voice was soft and petite, fitting for her appearance.  
Shuichi was quickly beginning to regret being there, he doubted they’d be violent, because of their leader’s morals, but who knew what they’d do? The detective juggled his options, but fuck, his head hurt too much to think, or even focus on what was happening. He tried to think of a plan or a prediction at the very least, but the sounds of D.I.C.E’s voices pierced through his headache, leaving him unable to focus on complicated plans.

“It’s him! He found us! Where’s my mask?! What do we do?!” She shrieked towards her comrades.

“What the hell are you screaming about Mia? We’re suppose to be quiet.” A male’s voice spoke, it was deep and gruff. Shuichi was sure he had heard his voice before, he was certain it was when he was “kidnapped”, he had heard this voice speak to the Phantom Thief.

“But the detective— He’s here! He found us!”

There was a moment of silence, and then the sounds of shuffling, then footsteps. Shuichi, who was lost in his aching head, took another step back, realizing they were coming towards the room.

Three figures entered the room, the girl from earlier, and two other males. One of them was quite tall, and his hair was a prominent afro that was a shade of red. The other was an inch or two shorter, and had sleek black hair that only reached his ears. They each wore a different clown mask now.

“Shit.” The ebony haired male muttered.

“Should I knock him out—?” The afro’d guy spoke, raising up a hand.

Shuichi began walking backwards, holding up his hands defensively. The thought of being punched in the face along with the pain he was already in was extremely unappealing to him. “N-N-Now let’s just- C-Calm down—?” The detective stuttered more than usual, to his dismay his voice cracked as well. He opened his mouth to speak again, but stumbled when he bumped into the wall behind him, hitting his head in the precise location his wound was in. All that came out of his mouth was a small yelp, he turned to look at the wall he had bumped into as he gripped his head, groaning in pain.

The three members of D.I.C.E stood there and watched, looking at each other in question, and shrugging at one another.  
“What’s on earth’s wrong with him?” The girl, who was apparently called Mia, questioned.

Before either of the males could answer, they heard a thud, the three masked fiends turned their heads, only to see the detective on the ground, motionless.

“Wh— Cho-han! Do something-!” Mia shrieked, looked towards the black-haired male, who crossed his arms.  
“What if it’s a trap? He’s not an idiot.” Cho-han replied with a scoff.

“Then you do something Macao!”

The red-headed male looked towards the detective, hand tangled in his afro. “Why me—?”

“Gee, I don’t know, cause you’re the strongest out of all of us?” Mia gripped onto a strand of her own hair, standing behind Macao, she gave him a nudge. “Just check if he’s not messing with us—“

The taller male huffed, slowly walking over to the detective. Mia trailed close behind him, watching with curious wide eyes.  
Slowly, he extended his leg and nudged the detective’s body with it.  
“You alive?? Boss is gonna kill us if you die you know-“ He questioned, and got no answer.  
“I’m gonna kick you if you don’t get up.”

“Macao!” Mia growled as a reminder of their no-violence policy.

“What? I wasn’t serious! I was just trying to scare him into getting up— Anyways, I think he’s legit.”

“What the hell is all this ruckus?” A new voice came into play, a taller, more busty woman with ashy pink hair waltzed towards the other three members. “Do you know how long it took me to get him to sleep? If you wake him up I swear I’ll—“ she caught sight of the detective’s unconscious body and froze in place, staring at it.  
“Oh.”

~🌸~

Shuichi groaned as he came back into consciousness. Besides his aching head, the first thing he noticed was that the movement of his hands and legs were severely limited. His eyes opened, quickly looking down at himself, though not too quick. He felt if he moved his head too fast he’d give himself vertigo.  
His hands were tied together tightly with a familiar checkered scarf, and his legs bound to the chair he was now sitting on, with his own tape that he had brought.  
His day really couldn’t get any better than this, could it?

He felt something else, a small pressure on the back of his head. It felt like bandages, being held against the wound with medical tape on the sides of his head.

“Welcome back.” A voice spoke, Shuichi slowly rose his head, golden eyes met with the sight of a clown mask. The one behind it was the woman with the ashy-pink hair.

Shuichi didn’t reply right away, he took a minute to look around the room, which was different now. The three figures from earlier stood around him, plus the new woman who was kneeled down in front of him to meet his eye height.

Shuichi realized at that moment that he had never actually spoken to the other members of D.I.C.E, only their leader. He had seen them accompany the Phantom Thief on all of his heists, he seemed to carefully pick a different set of people to come with him on each one.  
“Wh...What........” Was all Shuichi managed to mutter in reply to the woman.

“You were pretty out of it detective, you just, bam! On the floor!” Mia waved her arms in the air dramatically, keeping close to Macao.

“O-Oh......” the detective looked at the ground. “How long was I out for..?”

“Twenty minutes or so.” The unnamed woman replied, standing up straight and setting her hands on her hips. “How did you find us?”

Shuichi only sighed. “It’s a long story.” He mumbled. It was all he wanted to say. He slumped down in the chair, making no efforts to escape.  
The four members of D.I.C.E looked at each other, clearly confused. They were used to the detective being... cooler, more determined to crack their case, badass and assertive, like they saw him when he confronted the Phantom Thief during their heists.

“....Where is he?” The detective hesitantly asked. It was what he was here for, after all.

“Boss? Well, he’s kind of—“

“That’s none of your business.” The pink-haired woman interrupted her comrade as she adjusted her mask.

“That’s kind of the reason I’m here— He’s been gone for a month. That’s concerning for you guys, since the police are now conducting an active investigation on your whereabouts while you’re possibly vulnerable.”

“Yeah, we can tell.” The ebony haired male, Cho-han, replied as he crossed his arms.

“Oh- Um, I think this is a misunderstanding...? I’m not- working with the police on this- I mean, I should be but...” The detective stumbled on his sentences, looking for convincing arguments.

“How could we know you’re telling the truth? For all we know your little police buddies could be surrounding the building.” The pink-haired woman spoke defiantly.

“If they were, I’d have my police radio with me, since you clearly looked through my bag-“ He gestured towards the tape on his legs. “And I’m assuming you frisked me too, since I can feel that my pockets were emptied, you didn’t find it, which means I’m alone.”

The four stood in silence for a moment, the woman in front of him was clearly fuming, Shuichi could tell despite being unable to see her face.

“Ooh! He’s good!” Mia giggled, hugging Macao’s leg. “I’m convinced!”

The other female was not convinced, she brought her face down to Shuichi’s. “Don’t mess with us! They coulda sent you alone!”

“But if they did then—“

“Shut the hell up! Nothing you say is gonna make us trust you. If you do anything, to give us away, to hurt us, then I swear to god I’ll—“

“Eh? Midnight, are you threatening my beloved detective?” The familiar voice of the Supreme Leader rang from the doorway.

Shuichi’s head shot towards him, a little too fast, since it made him dizzy. He almost felt comfort upon hearing his voice, but quickly smothered the feeling, deciding that he was supposed to be angry with him.

The woman, Midnight, apparently, turned around. “K— Boss?” She quickly corrected herself. “Aren’t supposed to be asleep?”

The leader shrugged, walking into the room as he adjusted his mask. Besides the clown mask he had just put on, the rest of him looked surprisingly.... normal. Too normal for him, Shuichi thought. He wore a white hoodie and grey sweatpants, the only thing that wasn’t supposedly normal were the mismatched socks. He also had the worst case of bed-head Shuichi had ever seen, as if he hadn’t brushed his hair in weeks.  
“I got bored of you staring at me until I fell asleep, so I pretended to sleep.” He stated. Midnight fumed with justified irritation.

“But anyways!” The supreme leader paused to cough a bit, then walked towards Shuichi. “Shuichi! I have to say I’m impressed, but I also had a feeling you’d be able to find us!” He turned to his comrades, clasping his hands together. “Isn’t he just the smartest?”

“Boss, I really don’t think you should be out of—“

“May I ask why my beloved is tied up? What are we, some kind of weirdo group who steals things for fun? I don’t think so!” Before any of his comrades could speak up, he started up again. “Oh, I guess that’s a lie! That is what we are... but we certainly aren’t lunatics who tie up detectives to chairs, nuh-uh!” He kneeled down to his beloved, beginning to untie the scarf from his wrists.

“Wait boss, let us— Don’t strain yourself-“ His fellow group members spoke up, joining him to release the detective.

Once Shuichi was released, he didn’t make the effort to get up, he just sat there, glaring at the thief, who also seemed to have no strength to get off the ground.  
The thief in question pouted under his mask. “Aww, is my detective mad that I disappeawed and didn’t give him any intewesting cases to sowve?” He questioned in an obnoxious baby voice.

“I’m mad because you disappeared unannounced. And you disappearing gives me more work than you doing a heist.” The detective flatly replied.

“Oh man... You’re actually mad..” the Supreme Leader sounded more surprised than anything upon hearing the tone of voice the detective used.  
“Well, as much as I hate throwing my lovely comrades under the bus-“ he gestured to his fellow D.I.C.E members. “-it’s totally their fault. You see, a few weeks back I kindddd of seemed to be getting a little bit sick, and you know, they totally over-exaggerated and made me sit in bed for-everrr!” The leader groaned.

“And, are you still sick?”

“Not at all!” He replied as energetically as ever, Shuichi questioned how genuine that energy was. “I’m practically cured now that you’re here!”

“So stand up.” The detective ordered, looking down at the thief, who still stayed seated on the floor.

“Eh? Ordering me around in front of my comrades? How embarrassing Shuichi...” He whined, stalling.

“You don’t even have the strength to get up, do you?” Shuichi inquired, narrowing his eyes. The leader paused for a moment, but waved his hand dismissively.  
“I’m just sooooo lazy!”

“Uh-huh.” Was all the detective could reply, not buying a single word of it. He did slightly feel guilty being angry at him though, if the constantly hyperactive Phantom Thief himself was too sick to even stand, it wasn’t a good sign. Shuichi reminded himself that everything that happened to him in the past few days was really his own fault, and at this point he was trying to push the blame onto the thief. He sighed, slowly standing up to ensure he wasn’t too dizzy.  
Surprising the leader and himself, Shuichi kneeled down, and put an arm under the thief’s legs and back. As he stood back up, he lifted the thief up along, practically carrying him bridal-style at this point. He heard and audible gasp from the small group of D.I.C.E members watching them.

“....Where’s the bed?”

The leader didn’t object, he simply pointed to the doorway, and Shuichi followed his directions, passing by the four others in the room. As he exited the room, he heard a grumble.

_“He doesn’t let me pick him up like that..”_

The detective eventually found himself in a cluttered room, the bed in the corner was purple and plush, and had a few stuffed animals piled in corner of the bed. It was in character, Shuichi thought. He gently rested his body onto the soft cushions of the bed, the thief hesitantly let go of him with a whine.  
“Ughhh... I’ve been in this bed for like. Weeks. It sucks-“

“Well, first of all, why on earth are you sick in the first place?” Shuichi began his interrogation, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Hell if I know! The weather as been totally good lately too..”

“Mnn.. Do you have any allergies?”

“Only to boredom!”

The detective rolled his eyes, mentally crossing off allergies from the list of possibilities. “How’s your diet?”

The leader hummed in thought, tapping his mask in the process. “It’s.. something? I eat food, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Okay, but what kind of food?”

“I dunno, whatever we have. Be my guest and look in the fridge for all I care!”

Shuichi sighed, and stood up to do precisely that.  
“Stay here, don’t get out of bed or I’ll leave.” He ordered.

“Uwah! How mean Shuichi.. exploiting my love for you to make me do what you want, how evil!” The Supreme Leader crossed his arms, staying on the bed. “Oh but I do love when you throw yourself into investigations like this.. even if you’re investigating the mere cause of a sickness, you’re so assertive and cool..”

The detective rolled his eyes, walking out of the room. He looked around the place, it was pretty big for what seemed to be an underground bunker-type of area. His eyes caught sight of a number of masks displayed on the wall, seemed they had too many for their own good.  
He found what seemed to be the kitchen- well, it was a room with a table, chairs, and fridge. There wasn’t an oven, stove, or even a microwave.

“So what, you think you can just walk around now like you’re one of us?” A woman’s voice spoke. It was the one with the ashy pink hair called Midnight, she leaned on the table, and Mia and Macao were sitting on chairs, seemingly playing cards.

“I’m investigating.” Shuichi replied flatly, in no mood to argue. He opened their fridge, looking into it. He wasn’t impressed by what he saw, if anything, he was concerned. Take out, sweets, soda... it looked like the fridge of ten, in-debt college students combined.  
“Say, how old are you guys?” He asked the three, turning his head towards them.

“We’re all in our twenties, besides boss, if that answers your question.”

Shuichi hummed in interest, closing the fridge and opening the freezer, looking through the frozen treats in it. “Did you guys meet in that orphanage?”

“Why do you know about—“

“Some of us did!” Mia interrupted the taller female. “And the rest we met around Japan n' stuff, until we settled here!”

“Huh.” He closed the freezer, moving on to the cupboards. “So you guys have never really had adult supervision in your life, huh?” The detective wondered aloud as he fumbled through the snacks in the cupboard, silently praying they had coffee. His prayers weren’t answered.

Mia snorted, waving her hand. “Well, technically we _are_ adults!”

Shuichi closed the cupboards, turning to the three with a small frown. “..Right.” He walked towards the doorway. “..thanks.” He mumbled as he exited the kitchen, where he heard Mia and Midnight begin to argue.

He thought to himself as he walked back to the thief’s room. These people were technically adults, yet they acted like children. They were following someone who was younger than them, because he promised a good life, he assumed. He wasn’t wrong, they seemed to be happy together, but how lost did these people have to be to start following around some mischievous adolescent who seemed to cause nothing but trouble? Shuichi sighed, he couldn’t help but feel bad for them. Deep down, they were just lost. They didn’t know how to take care of themselves properly and turned to crime to earn a profit.

The detective entered the room, to that, the thief piqued up his head with a smile under his mask.  
“Sooooo?”

“I have a theory.” Shuichi stated, sitting at the edge of his bed. The thief sat up, tilting his head in interest.  
“Judging by the junk in your kitchen, and really, the eating and drinking habits you’ve displayed in the time I’ve known you, I’m willing to bet your sickness is caused by high blood sugar, and probably a huge lack of vitamins. I mean, really, when is the last time you had some real food?”

“Mmmprobably at your house!” The leader shrugged, leaning back. “I don’t see what’s the big deal.”

Shuichi rubbed his temples in annoyance, letting out a heavy sigh. “It means that if you continue like this, especially while you’re still sick, you’re basically on the way to becoming diabetic. You might as well kiss your heists goodbye then.” He put it a little harshly, but knew the thief wouldn’t take him seriously if he didn’t.

“—Wha? It’s that bad??” He pouted, looking up at Shuichi. “Well then do something about it!!” He insisted, pulling onto Shuichi’s sleeve. The detective huffed.  
“Why should I— I busted my ass trying to find you this week, I’m done babysitting you.”

The thief whined, dragging himself towards the detective. He wrapped his arms around his torso, looking up at him. “But then I won’t be able to see you anymore, and we won’t get to play our games again... don’t you miss them? Don’t you miss me?”

“You’re just trying to make me feel bad and manipulate me into helping you..” Shuichi grumbled, even though the thought of not being able to actively see the Phantom Thief pained him deep inside. He wasn’t going to let it show now, though. He made sure to keep his arms still on his sides, despite cradling the thief’s petite body being tempting.

“Maybe a little bit, but it is true that you missed me... isn’t it? You went through all that trouble just to find me..”

“.....I was worried about you.” Shuichi admitted, he turned his head away, eyes looking downwards. “You can’t just.. disappear like that.. and you need to learn how to take care of yourself.”

“You’re one to talk, you look worse than I do, and I’m the sick one.” The thief truthfully stated. He wasn’t wrong either, it’s not like he hadn’t noticed Shuichi’s puffy eyes and flushed cheeks, let alone the bandages on his head and the dried blood on the back of his neck. He was concerned for his beloved, despite not voicing it out loud.

“It was a long week.” Shuichi shrugged, steering the conversation away from himself. “We need to work on that diet of yours. And I want you to visit a doctor.”

“Awww, does that mean you’ll help me?” The thief smiled under his mask, wrapping his arms around Shuichi’s neck.  
The detective only sighed. “I don’t think I have a choice at this point. If I don’t do anything, no one will..”

“Yippee! Shuichi loves me!” He cheered, throwing his hands in the air, which resulted in him losing his balance. Shuichi caught him before he could fall off, rolling his eyes. “Just please be careful- You need to take it easy.”

“Of course, of course, but isn’t it romantic?” The leader threw his head back, holding onto Shuichi’s arms. “My beloved catching me before I fall...”

The detective couldn’t help the small blush on his cheeks, the thief always knew how to get those reactions out of him whether he was trying or not. The smaller male lifted his head back up, he set a hand on his head, clearly dizzy from the fast movements.  
“What did I just say about taking it easy?..” Shuichi mumbled, he took the leader into his arms and made him lay down, gently letting his purple locks hit the plush pillow.

The thief, for once, is too exhausted to complain. He lays back, but his eyes remain on his beloved.  
“How did you find us? How was your investigation, detective?”

Shuichi sighed, leaning on his hand as he looked into the hollow eyes of the clown mask. “It’s a really long story.. To sum it up, I found evidence in your back up base, and went through person after person, solved...... a— another case in between-“ he grew nervous at that fact, but forced the thought out of his mind. “And now I’m here.”

“That’s pretty vague, are you hiding something from your beloved, detective?”

“No.” Shuichi lied. “It’s just a lot, I don’t want to strain you with a long story right now...”  
The Supreme Leader decided to not call out his lie this time around, only because Shuichi seemed tired out of his mind.

Shuichi wondered if he saw through his words, but was relieved when he didn’t call him out. He wasn’t really sure how the leader would react to him neglecting all of his needs to obsess over his case, solving an investigation that would lead to another death, or what he had done to himself in the bathroom..... His head ached at the mere thought of it. He sighed, changing the subject almost a little too hastily.  
“So uh- this is your main lair, huh? Is this where you are most of the time or..?”

“Mm, well, we are here often, but we also have our own houses n whatever. Most people here room together.” The leader answered with a shrug.

“I see.... Gotta say, I expected the decor to be more... wild.. You guys don’t even show off the things you’ve taken?”

The thief sat in silence for a few moments, then giggled a little bit as he tilted his head.  
“What are you talking about? What stuff?”

The detective stared at him with a dumbfounded face. “The— The things that you guys take? The literal reason for your heists?” Shuichi answered as if it were supposed to be something that was obvious.

A genuinely confused smile made it’s way on to the Supreme Leader’s face. He ran his fingers over the cheek of his mask. “What do you mean? We return everything we steal.”

Shuichi stared at the thief’s masked face. He looked for the sound or indication of a lie, but there was none, it sounded completely and utterly genuine. But that couldn’t be, could it? He was told he was going against criminals who stole and sold for profit. Not some group who stole things for the fun and adrenaline.  
“Wh— Wha? You’re not serious, right?” Shuichi tried to force a laugh, but it fell flat.

The thief stared back at the detective, when the realization hit him.  
“Oh? Did you not know?” He sat up, setting a finger on his masked chin. He smirked devilishly under his mask. “Could it be that Shuichi’s beloved police buddies kept that little fact from him so he’d cooperate~?”

Shuichi stared down at the bed’s blankets, dumbstruck by what he was hearing. He wanted it to be a hoax, he so desperately wanted it to be a lie. He didn’t want to believe that his Uncle and his team would keep information from him just to use the talents of the Ultimate Detective. Did they think that Shuichi wouldn’t take it seriously if he knew the Phantom Thief was only temporarily stealing the items?

“Aw, it’s not that bad Shu! Our games are still fun, aren’t they??” The thief leaned his head on the detective’s shoulder.

“It— It’s not that— It’s just the fact that they-“ He balled up the blanket his hands gripped onto. “They kept information from me- Why would they not tell me such an important detail—? How could I have not noticed it myself-“ He rubbed his temples, trying to calmly process the newfound information.

“Oh dear, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it.” The thief smiled nervously, setting a hand on Shuichi’s arm in an awkward attempt to console him. He was skilled in many things, making people feel better was not one of them.

“No- No..” Shuichi reassured him, he set a hand on the thief’s hand, and squeezed it gently. “Thanks for telling me. I needed to know that.. It helps me a lot.”

The thief stared down at the detective’s hand, enjoying the warmth he brought. “Hmm? Helps with what?”

Shuichi looked at their hands, then at the thief. “Your hand’s freezing— are you cold??”  
He received a shrug in response, and returned a harsh glare.

“Jeeeeezzzzz! No need to use scary detective faces Shuichi! ...Maybe I’m a teensy bit cold.”  
Shuichi huffed in exasperation, he was focusing on himself too much when there was someone who was clearly sick and didn’t reach out for help in front of him.  
He grabbed the blanket he was fumbling with earlier, and threw it over the smaller male’s body. The leader accepted the blanket and let it droop over his shoulders, but his arms found their way around Shuichi once more, enjoying the warmth that radiated from him.

The detective sighed, watching the leader nuzzle his head into his chest. He was tempted to tangle his hand into those radiant purple locks of his, but refrained from doing so.  
“I... I think I’m gonna have to take you to my place to take care of you.. No offense, but you guys have nothing here that’s useful and I don’t wanna be caught coming to this place again— So if it’s fine with you—“

“More than fine! Any time I get to spend with my beloved is better than fine~”

Shuichi averted his eyes with a small blush. “R–Right.” He uttered out. “We should get going then. It’s getting late and there’s a bus we can take..”

The thief groaned, practically attaching himself to Shuichi’s body in protest. “But you’re so warm.....”  
The detective rolled his eyes, his blush didn’t falter. He hesitantly pried the thief off him and stood up, not daring to admit that the feeling of his arms around him was comfortable.  
“C’mon.. Take whatever you need to.”

The thief groaned again and tiredly dragged himself to the drawer next to the bed, he opened it and dug around until pulled out something black - it was the mask that he had worn on their first date. He turned away from Shuichi, lazily throwing off the clown mask. Before pulling the black mask on, he rubbed his eyes, feeling the heat of his cheeks caused by his sickness. He was acting as energetic as usual, but he did truthfully feel like shit, so he was excited that Shuichi was set on helping him get better. Just the thought of curling up with the detective on his bed made his heart do somersaults.

Once he put the mask on, he turned back to his detective. “Let’s be off then!”

“Aren’t you gonna take anything else??” Shuichi raised an eyebrow, looking the thief up and down.  
“Mmmnah! Imma just borrow stuff from you.” He replied, making an effort to stand up slowly. He groaned at the feeling of standing, and held onto Shuichi’s arm for support.

~🌸~

After the leader announced his leave, and a short argument with Midnight, the two made their way to the bus stop and caught the last bus into Tokyo, to their luck.  
The vibrations of the bus didn’t do the Phantom Thief’s state any justice. As they began to drive, he laid his head in Shuichi’s lap, the late hours of the night and his sickness beginning to get to him.

The feeling of Shuichi’s hand gently making its way to his head and slowly petting it brung an overwhelming amount of comfort, surely nothing could ruin such a perfect feeling.

The thief opened his eyes, and spotted a girl and her mother sitting across from them. The little girl was very obviously staring at his mask with wide eyes, in confusion.

“What?” He spat, annoyed at the kid for ruining his tranquility. “Want to see my face underneath? It’s completely burned off!” He smirked.

Shuichi mentally facepalmed, giving him a harsh nudge. He looked up at the girl and her mother, who had begun to move seats.  
“S-Sorry— it’s a sensitive topic—?” He bluffed, having no choice but to play along with the thief’s lies. He sighed at the sight of the glare the mother shot at them. “Honestly...” He grumbled, looking down at the thief, who was back to getting comfortable in his lap.

The detective couldn’t help the small smile on his face, he tangled his hand back into the thief’s hair, and kept it there for the rest of the ride.

Once they arrived at the bus stop they needed, Shuichi practically dragged the shorter male the rest of the way to his apartment.  
The thief was happy to be back, he needed a change of scenery and loved the fact Shuichi had actual windows and a view. The second they entered the apartment, the violet-haired fiend made his way to the bed and flopped on to it face-first with a groan.

Shuichi closed the door, then looked towards the other with a small smile. “Do you need something..? How do you feel?”

“I’m. cold but also sweating.” The leader replied as he rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie.

“Do you want to shower? Maybe you’ll feel better...”

“I’m good, I took a longggg bath not long ago...” He rolled onto his back so he could look at his beloved. “I just want to sleep.....”

Shuichi chuckled a little as he grabbed a towel. “Well, I’m going for a quick shower... You should change clothes and head to sleep.. Take what you want.” He stated as he motioned towards the closet, then opened the door to the bathroom.

“Hmm? Is Shuichi letting me steal whatever I want to?” The thief hummed.

“You know what I mean.” Shuichi rolled his eyes, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.  
The Phantom Thief, rolled off the bed, not bothering to stand. Instead he crawled to the closet, and looked through it as he listened to the muffled sounds of the shower. After a minute or two, he changed into a big white t-shirt, and deep blue pants that had imprints of different constellations on it. He dragged himself back onto the bed, tracing the constellations with his finger as he waited for Shuichi.

The detective got out of the bathroom soon enough, all dressed in pajamas and drying his navy blue hair with his towel. He caught sight of the thief, and couldn’t help but blush slightly. Something about the sight of him in his clothes made his heart flutter. He recognized the pants, he had gotten them as a gift from Kaito a year back, and he remembered him pointing and telling him the names of every single constellation.  
The detective sighed, letting his towel fall to the ground. He was too tired to care about the cleanliness of his apartment right now, and got into the bed with thief. Clearly, he was waiting for him.

Shuichi threw the blanket over them both, sighing heavily. He was finally comfortable today, despite his headache still being prominent. He adjusted his head carefully, ensuring he didn’t put pressure on the wound.

“Shu.. You smell nice..”

“Go to sleep already...”

“Can’t you take a compliment without steering it away for once?”

Shuichi sighed, and to his own surprise, he wrapped his arms around the thief, pulling him close to his chest to shut him up. It worked. The thief simply complied with the silent request, and let his petite body be engulfed with the detective’s warmth and the smell of shampoo.  
And for the first time in a long time, Shuichi was too tired to think about everything that had happened that day, and fell into a deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: The nicknames given to each of the D.I.C.E members are names of different dice games from around the world ^^


	9. Saccharine Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You should know better than anyone that Hope’s Peak and it’s staff are well above us. There are people there that are more powerful than this country’s government. How do you think they have the power to give student’s the success they have? Say, allowing a nineteen year-old detective onto the police force without the need to graduate from university?” His uncle replied defiantly, eying him with raised eyebrows. “That’s the end of the discussion, it’s a no.”_
> 
> Shuichi learns that living with the Phantom Thief certainly isn't a boring experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another pretty long chapter :,D today we get to spend some time in the mind of the Phantom Thief himself~
> 
> Also small warning I guess?? Our beloved thief decides to play the knife game smh

The thief groaned as he slowly woke up to the sounds of talking. He was comfortably wrapped in a soft blanket, but couldn’t help but notice that something was lacking. He searched the bed for his beloved detective, noticing the warmth of his body was missing. Once he established that his beloved was missing from the bed, his masked face turned towards the sounds of talking his tired mind was trying to rule out.

“Yeah... Sorry, it’s kind of an emergency. I’ll come down to the station around noon— I’ll even stay past the end of my shift- ..... Yeah yeah.. don’t worry about it, it’s only fair.. ... Alright.. See you later..” The detective set his phone down, rubbing his temples with a sigh.

“Hmm? Is Shuichi lying to his police friends because of me? I’m a horrible influence~~” The thief’s tired voice sang.

Shuichi looked towards the other, and smiled a little bit. “You sure are.. Sorry, did I wake you up-? I-I was trying to be quiet-“

The thief giggled, wrapping himself in all the available blankets that were present on the bed. “You worry too much. I was up alllll night!”

“Wh-What—?” Shuichi stumbled on his words, then paused, as if he were thinking back to something. “That’s.. That’s a lie..”

“Aw man. It’s boring when you don’t believe my lies.” The shorter male groaned, leaning his head back on the plush pillows. “Why are you so certain, hmm? Were YOU awake all night?”

“..Not _all_ night...” He mumbled as he made his way towards the closet. He wasn’t lying, he did fall asleep rather quickly, but the peaceful slumber didn’t last as long as he had hoped.

“Ultimate Detective? More like Ultimate Insomniac...” The thief quietly grumbled under his breath as he watched the detective fumble through his closet.

“Hm?” Shuichi glanced at him for a moment, the dark circles under his eyes were rather prominent, but perhaps it was because somehow, the thief had never actually seen them before. He thought that was rather strange.  
“Nothing~!” He quickly replied, figuring it was best not to piss off the detective any more than he did yesterday. For now.

Shuichi grabbed some clothes and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The thief stayed in his place, body too fatigued to move. He grabbed the pillow next to him, which happened to be the one Shuichi had slept on, and wrapped his arms around it, squeezing it slightly. He took in a deep breath, the pillow had the scent of Shuichi’s shampoo on it, it smelled of forest berries, or something else fruity, he thought. The thief’s eyes closed, he didn’t doze off again, but he must’ve been half asleep, when Shuichi exited the bathroom he had no idea how much time had passed.

“Why do you get dressed in the bathroom...? I’ve literally sucked y—“

“I’m going to the store—“ Shuichi blurted out, desperately trying to interrupt the thief’s sentence before he could finish it. “I’m gonna get groceries, then I’ll make you food, and then I’ll go to work. While I’m at work, YOU are going to go to the doctor. I’ve already scheduled you an appointment at 2.”

“Wowww! So prepared and responsible Shuichi~!” The thief hummed with a smile. He was much too lucky to have someone like Shuichi care for his ungrateful ass.  
His head rose once again to look at the detective, he was now dressed in his usual pinstriped buttoned outfit. He also seemed to remove the bandages from his head (the thief took note to ask him what was up with the injury later on), but what intrigued him the most was the fact the bags under his eyes were gone. Well, not gone, but covered. The thief definitely found that interesting, and took it into account. He was impressed, had he not seen the eye bags earlier, he definitely wouldn’t have suspected Shuichi of wearing make up, it was very well blended. It wasn’t necessarily a good sign though, considering it meant he did this often. The thief actually had suspected Shuichi to wear mascara in the past because of the fact his eyelashes were abnormally long, but when he finally managed to get close enough to his face, there was no sign of it. Something about that small detail was insanely attractive to him.

“Earth to thief?”

The leader was snapped out of his trance, and looked up at the detective once more with the tilt of the head.  
“I said that I’m off, don’t move around too much.. or— do anything stupid- okay?? I’ll be back in an hour..”

“Aye aye captain!” He replied, preforming a military salute despite the reply being that one of a pirate.

Shuichi nodded with the slight roll of the eyes. He walked out of the apartment, leaving the thief to himself.  
The thief groaned, already bored. He threw the blanket off himself, deciding that it was too hot. A chill hit him when the cool air of the apartment blew against his slightly sweaty body. He shivered, and slowly got out of the bed. Ignoring his aching stomach, he dragged himself to Shuichi’s closet, throwing off his shirt in the process. He was more drenched in sweat than he thought.  
He took off his mask, seeing no use of wearing it while no one was around. Grabbing a sweater and pants from Shuichi’s closet, the thief walked into the bathroom, set on taking a hot shower.

He eyed himself in the mirror, attempting to tame his purple locks by smoothing them down with his hands, to no avail. He sighed, staring at his wide violet eyes and flushed cheeks. The sickness seemed to put a temporary pink dusting onto his normally pale face. He wondered in the back of his mind, what would Shuichi think of his features? Would he study them as much as the thief studied his?  
He was personally fond of the detective’s face. He could stare into those piercing golden eyes all day, and the thought of his long lashes made it’s way into his mind again. Shuichi would kill eyeliner, he thought. He started to think of ways he could convince Shuichi to wear it, his face was a perfect canvas. The Supreme Leader enjoyed playing around with makeup on his own face, since it brought color to his sickly pale complexion, and he felt it made a statement. He didn’t have many chances to make himself pretty though, considering half of the time he wore a mask, and the other half he didn’t have anyone to show it off to. D.I.C.E didn’t count. He saw no point in putting effort into his appearance, or anything really, if he didn’t have an audience, that applied to his heists as well. As much as he loved colors, he felt people wouldn’t take the Phantom Thief seriously if he dressed in pastels or neon colors, which is why D.I.C.E’s uniforms were strictly black and white.  
On the rare occasions he walked the streets as Kokichi Ouma, he’d bring his colorful guilty pleasure to life. He couldn’t begin to count the amount of times he’d been mistaken for a child in his getup.

After a short and thoughtful shower, the thief threw on a sweater and jeans he had stolen from the closet. As he had expected, the jeans were loose on his petite from, so he walked out of the bathroom and sought out a belt. He looked through the closet once more, but found nothing. He did find that Saihara’s taste in undergarments was rather bland though, gray and black, was it boring or emo? Or both?  
He moved on to the bedside drawers, figuring that was the only other place he would keep a belt. Bingo, he thought as he found a black belt in the nightstand’s bottom drawer. He pulled it out, accidentally pulling a few papers along with it. As he untangled the belt, he found the papers that had fallen out were unopened envelopes. Curiosity engulfed the leader as he grabbed one of them, setting the belt aside. He was planning to snoop around anyways, maybe it wasn’t right, but he was curious what the detective had to hide, if anything.

He gently ripped open the envelope, softly enough so that he could easily glue it together again and leave no evidence. He pulled out the paper inside, unfolding it to look at it’s contents. It appeared to be a letter.

_“Dear Saihara Shuichi,  
We recently heard from your uncle that you were given the title of the Ultimate Detective. A very interesting career choice, we weren’t expecting it. Good luck building your future with it, tell us how it goes.  
We also were wondering if there is something wrong with your bank account, it seems that the money we are trying to transfer isn’t going through. Please look into it, thanks._

_You’ve already passed the age of eighteen, so you’re an adult at this point. Are you considering moving to America with us any time soon? You would enjoy the lifestyle, and if you’re still interested in being a detective we’re sure we can sort something out here. We have much to catch up on after all these years, so we’d appreciate if you wrote back with an answer this time around.”_

The rest of the letter was the writer endlessly talking about their lifestyle and life as a celebrity in America, practically bragging about their achievements and going on and on about movies they were in or something. The thief thought they were annoying, and that they sounded like an absolute narcissist. Not a jokingly one like him either, this person was genuinely full of themselves. Seriously, how much paper can someone waste on talking about some boring interview they had, or the various luxurious places they had visited? He placed the paper back into the envelope begrudgingly, sealing it back up. He couldn’t blame Shuichi for ignoring their letters, their relentless bragging were an absolute nightmare to read. Not to mention they did not give a single shit about Shuichi’s accomplishments or feelings. Who did this person think they were? He asked himself, turning over the envelope to look for the name of the sender.

_“Kaori and Shigeo Saihara”_

The thief’s eyebrow cocked in interest. Looking back, it should’ve been obvious that these were the detective’s parents. The leader never actually asked Shuichi why he lived with his uncle, he had assumed from his reactions that his parents were deceased, not out-of-the-country bastards. Their attitude in the letters explained Shuichi’s agonizingly low self-confidence, it actually angered the thief.

He huffed, returning the envelope to it’s place. He made a mental note to find a way to weasel the subject into a conversation.  
Since he was already snooping, he might as well continue. Closing the bottom drawer, he went to the top one next, opening it and beginning to fumble through it. He found the usual things one would find in a bedside drawer, there was some loose change, folders and papers, lotion, a watch that seemed to be set on the wrong hour, and a small box. Upon opening the box, the thief was greeted with a stack of photos. He skimmed through some, curious to see who the Ultimate Detective spent his time with.

A significant amount of the photos were of Shuichi and his Uncle, they seemed rather close. Most of their photos together were taken when Shuichi was younger, the thief giggled at the way child-Shuichi’s hair drooped over his eyes. Truly, an emo at heart whether he liked it or not, he thought.  
He found three other people that recurringly appeared in the photos, a ditzy blonde who seemed to wear pink in every picture, another girl who didn’t smile all that much, and had two long pigtails protruding from the sides of her head, and another purple-haired guy who unlike the second girl, constantly smile too-widely in every picture, he also wore his coat in a strange manner. The thief swore they looked familiar. He also noticed that in all the photos with the three, they usually wore the Hope’s Peak Academy uniforms, signifying they were more recent friends. What was kind of sad too was the fact that all these photos of the detective enjoying himself with his friends seemed to only exist within the timeframe of his time in Hope’s Peak. The thief wondered if he ever had time to do anything anymore.

He closed the drawer, and flopped down on the bed. He thought it was too bad that he didn’t find anything more interesting, like some mind-blowing secret or something. The things he did find were more depressing than anything.

The leader stood up once more, actually putting the belt on this time around. He ventured towards the detective’s desk next, figuring there must’ve been something interesting there. As he reached for the desk drawers handle though, the sound of the door unlocking startled him. He swiftly jumped back onto the bed - regretting it once he felt how dizzy and lightheaded it made him - and pulled on his mask. He sat there as if he’d been there the whole time.

“Welcome back beloved!” He greeted cheerfully, as if he were his spouse or something of the sort.  
Shuichi entered the apartment, groceries in hand. “Hey- All good?”

The thief set a hand on his head, trying to ignore the lightheadedness he was experiencing as he poked his head out of the bedroom to look at the detective. “Mhm!” He held up a thumbs up with his other hand.

The detective nodded, walking to the kitchen to begin putting the groceries in their rightful places.  
After regaining his ground, the thief walked out of the room - slowly this time - and followed Shuichi to the kitchen, deciding to sit on one of the stools and watch his beloved at work.

“What’s on the menu on this lovely morning, Ultimate Chef Sai~ha~ra?” The thief’s voice sang out his name, smirking at the blush that appeared on the detective’s cheeks.  
“J— Just vegetable soup... I’m not really an amazing chef..”

“Yeah yeah, just like how you’re not really an amazing detective, or not really an amazing person, or not one bit adorable at all. Accept a compliment for once in your life Shuichi!”

Shuichi’s cheeks burned as he pulled the vegetables he bought out of the plastic bags. He huffed, deciding not to answer. The thief watched intently as the detective put everything he needed on the counter. He smiled, Shuichi would do the same thing when he was solving a case, he always put everything out neatly before going through each thing one by one. It was cute to see that the habit made it’s way into other aspects of his life.

The thief’s eyes caught sight of the knife on the cutting board Shuichi had set out. He hopped off the stool and walked over, lifting up the sharp utensil.  
“Shuichi, have you ever heard of the knife game??”

“The one were you sing a song and almost stab yourself in the hand?? Yeah..” He eyed the knife in slight concern, now that that topic was brought up.

“Well, not to brag or anything, but I’m like, an expert in it!” The thief set his hand on the counter, spreading his fingers. Clearly he was going to demonstrate.  
“W-Wait—! That’s dangerous—“

“I literally just said I’m an expert. Watch and learn!” He brought the knife down to his hand, and started out slow. Shuichi gripped onto his sleeve in anxiety as he watched, listening to the sounds of the tip of the knife hit the counter’s surface. He desperately wanted to look away but he really couldn’t, especially when the thief significantly quickened the pace.  
The Supreme Leader was focused on his movements, but suddenly found that his reflexes weren’t as good as they usually were while he was sick. He felt his arm beginning to get fatigued, but he didn’t want to stop, he found a rhythm and was mesmerized by the sight of the knife moving in between his fingers. The focus didn’t last for long, in a twist of fate, the knife slipped from his hand, jabbing him well in the ring finger. Shuichi yelped louder than he did.

The detective ran to his side, throwing the knife to the sink and grabbing the thief’s hand to study the wound. Thankfully, it wasn’t too deep, but a good amount of blood trickled down his finger.  
“Whoopsie.” Was all the thief had to say for himself.

“Are you stupid?????” Shuichi couldn’t stop himself from asking, he grabbed some paper towels, wetted them, and pressed them against the pale slim finger, which was stained red.  
“That really is the question I ask myself every morning when I wake up!”

The detective sighed an exasperated sigh and practically dragged the thief to the bathroom. He had no choice but to follow, he silently cursed himself for giving Shuichi more work. If anything, he probably deserved that wound. He watched as the detective removed the paper towels and rubbed ointment on the wound in silence, clearly focusing hard on making sure he was fine.  
“Does it hurt?” He spoke up after finishing with the ointment.

“Not at all! I lost all feeling in my hand five years ago!”

Shuichi glared at him, clearly not in the mood for a lie. He huffed, wrapping his finger in some bandages.  
“It should be fine..” He mumbled, looking closely at his handiwork.

“You know what, it actually does kind of hurt! Kiss it better maybe?” The thief pleaded, trying to cheer him up. Once again, cheering people up was never a skill he possessed.

Shuichi just rolled his eyes, but surprisingly complied to the request. He laid a soft kiss onto his bandaged finger.  
The thief tried to convince himself that his cheeks were hot because of his sickness.

“Honestly, what were you thinking?” The detective demanded, looking into his masked eyes. He actually didn’t seem too angry, he was more concerned than anything. The leader was determined to change that.  
“What can I say? Even supreme leaders such as myself have their hands slip!”

“Yeah but.. You shouldn’t have played that game in the first place. Was that seriously the first time you ever messed it up?”

“No actually! You see, I messed up so much in the past that I had to have my hand amputated and replaced with this hyper-realistic robotic hand!” He pointed to his wounded hand. “I chopped it clean off myself!”

Shuichi gave him a look, shaking his head slightly. “Alright. Can I have a real answer now?”

The thief pouted under his mask. “You’re no fun. But of course it’s a lie, what kind of sick bastard chops off his own hand?” He smiled as he studied his finger. “The truth is, that was my first time playing!”

“You—“ Shuichi rubbed his temples. “So you lied about being a so-called expert?”

“Mayyyybe.”

He sighed, going to the sink to wash his hands. “What am I going to do with you....” he mumbled under the sound of the water running. The thief couldn’t help but ask himself the same thing.

The two returned to the kitchen, the leader sitting on the stool once more. Shuichi grabbed a new knife from the drawer, and made sure to keep an eye on this one this time.  
“Please, please refrain from doing anything else dumb today-“

“Hmm... What’s your definition of dumb?”

“It’s too early for this..” The detective replied, not answering the question. His eyes made their way to the clock on the wall. It was 9 in the morning.  
As the broth in the pot boiled over the fire, Shuichi made himself a cup of coffee. The thief was unsurprised to see that Shuichi liked his coffee black.

“How boring..... No cream or milk or sugar? You’re sooooo extra Shuichi!”

The detective rolled his eyes in reply as he took a sip of his drink. “All those things take away the experience of coffee..”  
He set the mug aside, grabbing the knife and beginning to chop some vegetables.  
The thief watched intently, looking down at his bandaged finger every now and then. He looked for something to say, but he felt everything that came to mind would piss the detective off even more, or distract him and cause him to accidentally hurt himself. So to the thief’s dismay, he kept quiet, his eyes fixed on the detective’s movements. At least with the mask on, Shuichi couldn’t see that he was staring.  
He found that not talking meant not being able to distract himself from the discomfort he was experiencing. He didn’t mention it, but his stomach ached up a storm, and he had a migraine that made him regret getting out of bed in the first place. Not to mention that the cut on his finger did indeed burn. He sighed defeatedly, crossing his arms on the table and laying his head in them.

While the vegetables were simmering in the broth, Shuichi took a seat across from the thief, sipping his coffee. He noticed the thief being uncharacteristically quiet, and was slightly concerned seeing his head buried in his arms like that.  
“Are you okay?..” His gentle voice asked, it was music to the thief’s ears. He had no strength to lie, he had tired himself out.  
“M’fine.. Just... migraine..” He mumbled into the sleeves of the sweater. He found that it smelled nice.

Shuichi frowned, he didn’t enjoy seeing him in visible discomfort. There was something.... unsettling about the times when the thief wasn’t smiling, or joking around with exaggerated lies, or flirting with the helpless and flustered detective. His hand reached across the table for his head, his fingers entwining themselves amongst his purple locks. He slowly moved his fingers along his scalp, just the way he knew he liked it.  
The thief smiled a little under his mask, he brought one of his hands up to Shuichi’s, laying it on top of his warm hand.

The detective blushed as he stared at the scene in front of him. It was so innocent, yet there was something so intimate about the way his hand felt against his. He could have sworn that he felt his heart jump to his throat when the thief decided to entwine their fingers together.  
Shuichi shook his head at himself, he shouldn’t get ahead of himself.. There were still so many complicated aspects to their relationship, he didn’t understand what they were. He meant to talk to him about it after he felt better and his sickness blew over, but for now, the detective decided it couldn’t hurt to enjoy it a little, right? As long as he didn’t get overly attached and listened to his logical reasoning, everything should be fine. It’s not like he’d get anything from not playing along with the thief’s games.

He sighed, realizing he was starting to overthink again. Instead, he tried to focus on the feeling of their fingers entwined with one another, his smooth pale skin against his own, and the soft texture of his hair.  
The detective hesitated to break the peaceful silence, but felt it was necessary.  
“Maybe I should go to the doctor’s with you... you don’t look well..”

The thief’s head rose to look at him, he quickly shook his head. “There’s no need my beloved! I’m alright, I’m just resting so I’ll have the strength to go later~”

“Are- Are you sure-??” Shuichi tilted his head, concern laced his eyes. “I can just go to work later-“

The other male shook his head defiantly. “M’all good!” He quickly replied, squeezing Shuichi’s hand a bit as if he were trying to prove a point.  
The thief knew that if he went to work later, he’d return much later. Shuichi was a workaholic, he’d stay past his shift to complete the hours he had missed. The thief knew that if sleep wasn’t a necessary evil, then Shuichi would choose not to do it at all.

“Alright..” the detective replied with a hesitant tone to his voice.  
“Aw, is Shuichi worried about little ol’ meee~~?”

“Haven’t we established that?..” Shuichi mumbled, staring at their hands, which were still holding onto each other. “Especially after that stunt you pulled today..”

“You worry toooooo much!” The thief waved his other hand dismissively.

“You stabbed yourself in the finger.”

“Looks like that soup is ready!”

Shuichi turned to look at the pot, expecting another lie, but he wasn’t wrong. The lid was cloudy with steam, and a faint aroma filled the kitchen. The detective sighed, hesitantly letting go of the thief’s hand. He didn’t dare admit he missed the feeling.  
He walked over to the pot. The thief watched as he stirred the broth, mesmerized by his movements. It felt like time stood still, yet at the same time flew by, before he knew it, there was bowl of hot soup in front of him. He studied the bowl’s contents, stopping when Shuichi held out a spoon, which he gladly accepted.

Shuichi watched as he held up the spoon to his mouth (which he had uncovered), he seemed to hesitate slightly before biting down, but did so anyways. Shuichi eagerly awaited his answer.

“Well..... it’s not Panta, or cake.. but I guess it’ll have to do.”

Shuichi snorted with a small smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Oh but there’s one issue..” The thief spoke up, looking up at the detective, who’s face twisted in concern. “My hand’s killingggg me. I dunno how I’ll manage to eat this all without dying on the spot from the pain!”

“You couldn’t possibly die from that amount of pain.... and you have another hand.” Shuichi pointed out. “Or are you seriously asking me to feed you??”

“Oh wow! Are you offering to feed me?? You’re too kind to me Shuichi! How romantic of you!” The leader smirked smugly, shoving the spoon into Shuichi’s hand. The detective sighed, knowing there was no way to get out of this one. So he complied, and scooted closer to the table. He faced the thief, and lowered the spoon into the bowl, then lifted the spoon to his mouth. The thief graciously took a bite, Shuichi watched his soft lips wrap around the spoon with a small blush.  
This continued for the next ten minutes in silence, until the bowl was empty, aside from a few drops.

Once he was finished, before the thief could say anything, Shuichi put the bowl and spoon in the sink, rinsing them a bit.  
“You should rest a bit, try not to move all that much today...” He motioned towards the bed, which was just barely visible from the kitchen.

“Whatever you say beloved!” The shorter male nodded obediently, hopping off the stool and making his way to the bed. Shuichi followed him.  
The detective entered the bedroom, greeted by the sight of the thief huddled under the covers. It was.... cute, to say the least. Shuichi leaned on the door frame.  
“Um... well.. I’m gonna go to work.... Do you need something before I go?”

The thief nodded, ushering him over. Shuichi walked over like he had requested, leaning on the side of the bed. “Mm?” He hummed in question, he wasn’t sure what he expected when the thief grabbed his collar and pulled him into a short and sweet kiss. Shuichi could slightly taste the soup on his lips.  
When he pulled away, he flashed a smile that was sweeter than the sweet tooth he possessed.  
“Have fun at work!”  
Shuichi was at a loss for words.

“Th—Thanks—??“ He managed to utter out. “I- um-“ He stammered out as he stood up. “I’m gonna leave you some things you might need on the dining table— Make sure you check it before you go..”

“Of course! My detective, always so responsible...”

Shuichi’s heart preformed somersaults, while he felt a shudder throughout his body. Something about being called his detective was insanely exhilarating to him. The blush on his face couldn’t get any redder, he looked down at his shoes in an attempt to hide it, obviously to no avail. The thief could only snicker in response.

“D’you like being called mine?” He questioned with a smug smirk. Shuichi grumbled something inaudible under his breath, and threw another blanket over the thief’s head.  
“I-I’m going— Don’t forget about your appointment at 2, it’s important-“

The leader laughed a little as he removed the blanket from his face. The laugh that came out was different than usual, it wasn’t smug or mocking, it was a genuinely adorable laugh.  
“Sir yes sir!” The thief replied, saluting him.

The detective rolled his eyes, mentally trying to get his blush to die down. There was no way he was going to take him seriously if he was a mess of crimson.  
“See you later—“ Shuichi waved, and walked out, closing the bedroom door behind him.

The thief sighed tiredly, laying his head on the pillow and letting his eyes flutter shut. Keeping up his energetic demeanor drained him of any genuine energy. Before he let himself doze off, he pulled his phone out of his pocket - he constantly forgot he even had a phone because of how little he used it - and set an alarm for 1pm. As much as he didn’t want some health professional to tell him what to do, it was important to Shuichi, and he did want to stop feeling like shit as soon as he possibly could, so he ensured he wouldn’t miss the appointment, or be late.

He heard the sound of the apartment door closing, meaning Shuichi had left. Setting aside his phone and mask on the nightstand, he allowed himself to doze off for a bit.

~🌸~

The sound of the alarm piercing through his migraine was not a kind way to wake up. The thief groaned audibly as his hand grabbed his phone. He squinted his eyes, but opened them enough to see the phone screen and turn off the alarm. Sighing, he decided to force himself to sit up, knowing if he didn’t he’d instantly fall back asleep.

The Supreme Leader got out of the bed, stretching his back. He huffed, wondering why he let himself fall asleep in jeans. It didn’t matter anymore, he supposed as he stood up. He grabbed his mask and stuffed it into the pocket of the jeans, and took his phone to his hand, walking out of the room.

The apartment was quiet, it was the middle of the day, meaning everyone in the city was either at school, work, or wherever else people could be. He had to admit, he felt just a little bit better already. He wondered if it was because of the soup and rest, or perhaps just Shuichi’s presence in itself.  
It was boring though, sitting around the apartment with no detective to mess around with. The thief remembered him saying something about leaving something on the dining table, his curiosity grasped him as he walked over, only to see a piece of paper, keys and some money laid on the table. He lifted the note, violet eyes scanning the paper.

_“Left you money for transportation/pharmacy (if you get a prescription for medication), there’s extra if you want to get yourself something. As long as it’s not something that’ll hurt you or your health. Also left an extra house key. Please please PLEASE don’t lose it._

_Here’s my number so we can stay in better contact. On the bottom of the page there’s the address to the doctor’s office. Also take something warm, it’s cold outside._

_See you later._

_-Shuichi”_

The thief snorted, the neat paragraphing and perfect punctuation was just like Shuichi. He eagerly got out his phone, adding the number on the paper to his contacts, under the name “Beloved <333”.

 **You: Shuichi are u tryin to be my mom or my sugar daddy??????????**

He felt it was a worthy first text, and was quite surprised to see Shuichi already typing up an answer.

 **Beloved <333: Hahaha, Very funny.**

**You: Waaahhhhh??? Shu you type like an old man!! You ARE my sugar daddy!!**

**Beloved <333: Sorry, I guess??**

**You: Thats ok I forgive u! <3333 why did you take soooooooooooooo long to give me your number we’re soulmates!!!!!**

**Beloved <333: I really hope you’re going to the doctor’s soon. I’m kind of busy.**

**You: yes I can tell by the fact you’re on your phone obsessively texting the love of ur life**

**Beloved <333: Please get going.**

**You: Okkkkkkkkkk bye bye buzzkilllllll**

**Beloved <333: See you later.**

He snorted, slipping his phone into the pocket of his jeans. He did the same with the cash and house keys, marveled at how big the pockets of men’s jeans were. If he was complete honest, he almost exclusively wore women’s pants, because finding men’s pants for his height was a lost cause, and simply because he believed women always had the more stylish options he opted for anyways.

Making his way to the closet, he opened it up, grabbing a black oversized coat. He was already a little chilly inside, so he decided to listen to the advice Shuichi had written.

Once he decided he was ready, he typed in address to his phone’s maps application, and walked out of the apartment, feeling the chill of the outdoors on his face.

~🌸~

It hadn’t been the most eventful day at work for Shuichi. For the most part, he was on standby for the Amami case (which he had almost forgotten about after the hectic events of the past few days). He was to answer any questions the search team had, but once he received the call from them, it turned out they had found the third sister successfully. All he could do was congratulate them and wish them luck with the rest. For a moment he thought back to the request he gave Fuyuhiko, to ask about the Amami sisters. He ultimately decided not to think about him.

After that, he didn’t actually have all that much to do. A part of him was happy not to have much work, but that meant his mind went on to find something else to worry about. Like, did he write the correct address on the note? Would the thief find the place alright? Did he leave enough money for him? What if something happen to him on the way? Was he in pain? Was his finger fine?

At some point he tried to distract himself by scribbling down more possible Ultimates the thief could have been. Ultimate Manipulator. Ultimate Commander. Ultimate Leader. Ultimate Fibber.

After he couldn’t think of any other words to describe him, he decided to organize his files by alphabetical order. With that, the evening eventually rolled around, at some point he had gotten a text from the thief that read **“doctor said still no diabetes, hip hip hurrayyyyy!!!”** to which he responded **“Good. We’re gonna work on your sugar intake.”** He snickered to himself seeing the absurd amount of distressed emojis the thief replied with.

Once darker hours rolled around, he sighed, he had another hour to go. He decided to make himself some coffee, seeing nothing better to do.  
He walked out of his office, and spotted someone sitting on a chair, seemingly waiting.  
It was a girl with light hair and pale skin, she wore the Hope’s Peak Academy’s uniform. Her pink tinted eyes were focused onto a portable video game console she held in her hands.

“Um— Hello?” Shuichi called out to her. He received no answer. “Are- Are you waiting for someone?”

“Mhm...” She replied, her eyes staying glued to the console. Shuichi waited for her to add something to the statement, but the only sounds in the room came from the console.

“Do you know who’s supposed to see you-?” He pressed gently, tilting his head.

“A detective..”

Shuichi sighed, rubbing his temples slightly as his eyes looked towards the multiple offices that belonged to different fellow detectives. “Did they give you a name—?”

“Mm... I wanted to talk to the one with the dark hair.. He came to Hope’s Peak two days ago....”

“Oh..” Shuichi blinked, suddenly remembering seeing her in that classroom he had visited when he was investigating in Hope’s Peak. It wasn’t uncommon for people to request him specifically, given his title, but he had never seen someone so patiently wait for him in silence like that, without talking to anyone else in the station. “I guess that’s me then, um, come in??”

The girl stood up, walking into his office, her eyes barely left the console in her hands. He closed the door behind them, taking a seat at his desk. The girl sat on the chair in front of it, and at long last, took her eyes off the console and put it down onto her lap. She took a look at Shuichi, staying quiet.

The detective broke the silence, dragging his notebook over to himself.  
“Uh, what can I do for you??”

She seemed to take a moment to process what she wanted to say. “...I guess a missing person..?”

“Alright- When did you last see them?” He scribbled on the notebooks paper, mentally facepalming when he realized he hadn’t asked the name first.

“About... two weeks ago... maybe three..”

“...Why did you wait so long to—“ He stopped himself, “Um, what’s their name first of all?”

“Hajime Hinata.”

Shuichi’s hand stopped writing for a moment, remembering hearing the name before. “...Wasn’t he... expelled from Hope’s Peak?”

She nodded.

“Alright, let’s start with the last time you saw him.. Where was that?”

“The fountain. The fountain in Hope’s Peak..” She raised a hand to twirl a finger around her hair. “.......He was.. expelled the day after..”

“I see..” He jotted the information down. “Was there anything particularly strange that happened beforehand? Was he acting strange in any way?”

“I... I guess so... He was saying things about being better..? Or being useful?... something like that..” She looked downwards at her console for a moment. “I haven’t heard from him since....”

“Okay.. And, do you know exactly why he was expelled?”

“That’s.... That’s the thing......” She raised her head once again to look at the detective, her soft tone gained more power to it. “He was very kind, and a good student... No one I ask seems to know why he was expelled...”

Shuichi nodded in response. That was.. pretty strange, he thought. But he supposed Hope’s Peak would keep quiet about a student getting expelled for the sake of their reputation.  
“Have you considered the fact that you haven’t seen him because he can’t meet you inside of the school anymore?”

“I guess... but the thing was that he never came to clean out his dorm or anything... I also waited next to the gate, Hajime..... Hajime was really.. determined.. he would never leave unannounced, I don’t think..”

“Okay..” Shuichi nodded, staring down at his notebook.

“So.. can you do something about it..?”

“Um.. Look, it’s not really my decision to make these calls.. But I’ll definitely talk to one of my superiors— Could you wait here-?”

The girl nodded, she lifted up her console, going back to her game.  
_Ultimate video gamer_ , Shuichi thought to himself after taking a short moment to look at her hair clip.

He exited his office, making his way to a different section of the station. He arrived at his Uncle’s office, knocking on the door firmly.  
“Come in.” He heard, and did as told.

“Shuichi.. What can I do for you?” His uncle smiled at him.

“Um... Well, I have a girl from Hope’s Peak who wants to report a fellow student missing-“

His uncle sighed, leaning on his hand. “Look, that might be a little complicated. We don’t usually take cases relating to Hope’s Peak. That’s the Future Foundation’s job. They have their own detectives.”  
Shuichi nodded a bit, thinking about his superior fellow Ultimate, Kyouko Kirigiri.

“W-Well— This might not have anything to do with Hope’s Peak, the missing person was expelled from there—“

His uncle let out an exasperated sigh. “Then we definitely can’t get involved. They’d have my head if the press got ahold of the knowledge someone was expelled from there.”

“I know but if the search team is discreet— Or I could work alone-?”

“Shuichi, tell the girl to go to the Future Foundation. This isn’t our business, we don’t have the authority to associate ourselves with Hope’s Peak.”

“But we’re the police-“ Shuichi grumbled, visibly annoyed.

“You should know better than anyone that Hope’s Peak and it’s staff are well above us. There are people there that are more powerful than this country’s government. How do you think they have the power to give student’s the success they have? Say, allowing a nineteen year-old detective onto the police force without the need to graduate from university?” His uncle replied defiantly, eying him with raised eyebrows. “That’s the end of the discussion, it’s a no.”

Shuichi scoffed. “Someone could be in danger, you— Ugh.” He huffed, turning away from the older man. “You just blindly follow orders..”

“That’s no way to talk to an elder Shuichi, you know that. Where’s this sudden anger and attitude coming from?”

“Gee, I don’t know.” The younger detective growled, turning back to him. “How about the fact that you guys are keeping information from me? I don’t recall you telling me that the Phantom Thief was returning the things he stole. That was an important detail that could have drastically helped my investigation on him.”

“Shui—“

He didn’t stick around for his reply, he walked out, practically slamming the door behind him. He felt confused eyes of his colleagues on him, but he ignored the glances and returned to his office.

“Sorry.” Was the first thing he told the girl. “They- They won’t let me take the case,,”

“Oh....” She stared into nothing. Shuichi heard the sound of her video game character losing health. The game over screen flashed on her console.

“But.....” He bit his lip, sitting back down. “I can’t really actively take the case, but I’ll see if I can find out something for you..”

“Really? Can you do that?..”

“Sure.” He lied. “It’s not like I’m actively investigating it..” He pulled out his phone, holding it out to her. “Here.. Put in your number.. I’ll update you if I find something.”

She nodded with a small, tired smile. After putting in her number, she handed the phone back to him.  
“Chiaki Nanami.. Nice to meet you. I’ll try my best to help you.”

She nodded, standing up. After mumbling a tired thank you and yawning, she walked out, along with her console.

Shuichi didn’t bother staying the last twenty minutes of his shift. He gathered his things and walked right out of the police station. He knew he’d regret it later, but he acted on that sudden whim of anger.

~🌸~

The detective was relieved to finally arrive home, remembering that for once, there was someone there waiting for him. Besides his uncle and aunt, he had never really lived with anyone before, the experience was strange to him, especially since he once thought he was better off living alone anyways. He shouldn’t get ahead of himself though, it was only temporary after all.

He pushed open the door to the apartment, greeted by the sight of the thief himself, or well, the back of the thief.

“Geez Shuichi! Give a warning before you come in why don’t you?” He huffed as he pulled on his mask, then turned back around. “Okay, hiiiii~!” His tone dramatically changed, he ran over to him, wrapping his arms around his torso.

“H-Hey there—“ He glanced to the side, closing the door to the apartment. One would think that he’d stop getting embarrassed after the amount of physical contact he’d had with him at that point, but no, his reactions were always the same, and the thief enjoyed every second of it. “Feeling better already?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Of course! I was never sick in the first place, I just pretended to be to get your attention~~”

“That’d better be a lie.” Shuichi flatly stated, not amused at the thought of the sickness being a ruse.

“Aw. You’re getting better and better at spotting them every day!”

Shuichi sighed tiredly, he dropped his bag on the ground and made his way to the couch, letting himself fall back onto the cushions.

“Yikes, bad day detective?”

“Unfortunately.” He mumbled, fumbling with the television’s remote to turn it on. He flipped through some show options, looking for some crappy predictable detective shows to watch. At least they made him feel like a decent detective and hid no information from him.  
The thief went over to the dining table to grab something, then joined Shuichi on the couch, sitting on the opposite end.  
For the next half an hour, the only sounds were the characters on the television, and Shuichi mumbling some kind of deduction or prediction towards the screen every now and then. It seemed to be a habit of his, the thief found it amusing.

After a little while, Shuichi had figured out the identity of the show’s murderer. While he waited for the detective onscreen to figure it out, his eyes glanced towards the thief, who held a sketch pad and pencil in his hands.

“You draw??” He asked, tilting his head in interest.

“Mhm.” The thief replied, clearly focused on what he was working on.

“Can I see?” Shuichi asked again, hoping he wasn’t disturbing him. There was a moment of silence as the thief erased something. He then turned the sketchbook around, holding it out to the detective.  
Shuichi was greeted with a rather detailed sketch of his own face, his eyebrows raised up in surprise. “You’re good.. Oh god, please don’t tell me you’re an Ultimate Artist and I’ve been overthinking everything-“

The thief laughed a little, taking the sketchbook back when it was held out to him. “I can assure you my talent isn’t that basic~”

The detective snickered, leaning back. “Still... I can see you doing something with that..”

“Hm.. Kinda busy focusing on world domination, actually.”

Shuichi snickered, unconsciously scooting a little closer to him. “Well, if you ever stop thieving, you should consider doing something artsy... It suits you..”

The thief smiled under his mask, he set the sketchbook on the side and laid his head on Shuichi’s lap. “I’ll consider it if you tell me why you’re so grumpy today!”

“I’m not grumpy-“

“Well, something’s obviously bothering you. You’re thinking suuuuuper hard about something.”

Shuichi sighed, his hand making it’s way into the thief’s hair. He ran his fingers along his scalp. “I guess. I just....... .....I’ll tell you another day.. I need time to decide on something really important..”

The thief melted into his touch, smirking slightly. “Are you finally thinking of how to admit your undying love to me?”

“Wh—What-? No-“ Shuichi answered rather quickly, to the thief’s dismay.

“Boooooooo!” He replied with a pout, crossing his arms. “You know you’ll have to some day.”

“Not today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a lovely day lovesss


	10. Revelations Upon Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I mean... Are.. Are we friends-?”_
> 
> _The thief tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Just friends? Yikes Shuichi, do you kiss all of your friends like that?”_
> 
> Shuichi has a surprising announcement to make, he recieves a surprise of his own in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okkk so originally this was going to be a bonus chapter, but I decided to switch up a few chapters places, so the bonus chapter will be the next one instead :v anyways enjoy!!

“You’re _what_?!”

“Quitting... I’m quitting my job at the police station.” Shuichi repeated for what he felt was the hundredth time.

“But Shuichi—“

“Hold on, let me finish talking Kaede-“ The detective insisted with a small smile, he didn’t seem all that upset, in fact, he seemed rather excited.

The two had met up to eat breakfast together at a spot they’d go to often when they were still in Hope’s Peak. Shuichi hadn’t seen one of his closest friends in what felt like forever, so when he called Kaede and asked to meet up, she was overjoyed, and instantaneously agreed. So here he was, breaking the news to her.  
Despite what it looked like, it wasn’t an impulsive decision he had made. He had thought about quitting in the back of his mind ever since work began making him miserable - which was about two months ago, maybe more. He had finalized the decision the day he found out his team was holding information from him, and was further convinced after the argument he had with his uncle regarding Hope’s Peak cases. In the week and a half he spent caring for the thief while he was sick, he was simultaneously setting up a plan for a new future for himself.

“I’m not quitting being a detective.. I’m just leaving the police force. I’m set on becoming an independent private investigator instead. I’ve found that... I work better alone..”

The pianist’s pink eyes widened as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Wow.. What made you decide such a thing??”

Shuichi leaned back in to his cushioned seat, the diner’s atmosphere was the same as it was back then, comfortable, homely, and tranquil. His eyes stared at his empty plate in front of him, and the second cup of coffee he had ordered. He wondered if he had a problem regarding caffeine, but shrugged the thought away.  
“I found that... Whenever I worked on a case alone, I was the happiest, and the most productive.. The police.. It’s not that they’re not good or helpful- They just give me so many limits, I can’t make any of the decisions and they don’t always listen to me, and there’s also my uncle who’s always holding me back there... I know he’s worried about me but....” His eyes darted to his feet as he trailed off.

“But you can handle yourself..” Kaede finished for him with a smile. “I can see that.. Something about you has changed recently, like the fact you took off your hat.. Did something happen??”

“Um...” Shuichi pondered, looking for an answer. “It’s just- been really eventful lately.. Besides, I’m still not that great.. Yeah I took off my hat, but I still get a lot of urges to go back to it.. I still can’t look people in the eye, even when I want to..” He mumbled, fiddling around with the strand of hair in front of his face.

The blonde laughed a bit, sitting up straight in her seat, her body bounced slightly with her fast movements. “Oh Shuichi, that’s not a bad thing. That doesn’t mean you’re not making progress, or getting stronger... Everyone wants to go back and hide sometimes, you know? What matters is what you do in the long run, and you’re making an effort to change, and I’m so proud of you!” She lifted up a finger to point at him, Shuichi noticed her nails were painted with a neatly done intricate design, the pink color shone with an accompanied holo design.

The detective looked up at her face for a moment, spotting the proud smile she wore on her face. “Th-Thanks...” He smiled in return, a small blush made it’s way to his cheeks.

“Wow, something really serious must’ve happened if you’re not deflecting a compliment.” She joked, Shuichi snorted, playfully hitting her on the arm.  
“Shut up...”

“Come on, anything else happen???” She tilted her head with a knowing smile. “There has to be something else. I know you.”

“I— I guess um....” His mind wandered to other things that had happened that didn’t relate to his work. “I kind of met someo—“

Kaede’s loud gasp interrupted his sentence, she put her hands on her cheeks as her eyes widened. Shuichi could have sworn they sparkled. “Oh my god! Do you have girlfriend or boyfriend Shuichi?? How could you not tell me something like that?!”

“ _K-Kaede_ —!” He stuttered, his eyes darting around the diner. Luckily for his dignity, not many people came during these hours of the morning. “I didn’t say that—- I don’t have- well I mean he’s not- not that—“ He stumbled on his words, trying to find a fast way to explain before she announced it to half of the universe. If he had to be completely honest, the word “boyfriend” scared the absolute shit out of him.

“We’re not a thing—-“ He managed to utter out clearly. Kaede tilted her head, her face became serious for a moment as she cocked an eyebrow.  
“Shuichi, it wasn’t a one-night stand, was it?” She questioned all too seriously. The detective’s cheeks burned beyond all meaning. “N—No-!” He quickly replied, much to Kaede’s amusement.  
“I know silly! I’m just kidding.”

He sighed in relief, drowning his anxieties in the remainder of the coffee in his cup.

“Does this guy have something to do with your sudden change??” She wondered aloud.

Shuichi leaned on his hand, pondering the question. “Um.. I think he might, actually.. He’s—“ He paused, trying to find a good adjective to describe him. “-interesting.” Was the first thing that came to mind. “Kind of the complete opposite of me, if you would... I think his personality is a little bit contagious sometimes.. Maybe that’s why I’m a bit different....”

“Wow!” Kaede clasped her hands together, her eyes had a dreamy haze to them. Here came the numerous questions. “Where did you guys meet??”

“Uh, on a case—“

“Oh really?? What’s he do?”

“Artist-“ Shuichi blurted out the first things that came to mind. He mentally cursed out the thief for making his lying habit rub off on Shuichi.

“Oh wow, I can totally see you with someone artsy, that’s so cute Shuichi!” She smiled, buying everything he told her. He had to admit he felt a little bad.  
“W-We’re not a thing—“ He reminded her.

“So what exactly are you?”

“F—Friends-?” The reply sounded more like a question. He himself wasn’t sure anymore. Kaede squinted her eyes, trying to study his face. To her dismay, her talent was piano, not detective work.  
“Do you like him though???”

“L-Like— Romantically—???”  
He received a nod in response.

“I-I don’t know—-“

“Have you guys kissed????”

“Isn’t interrogation my thing...??” Shuichi breathed out an exasperated breath.

“Have you???” Kaede asked again, determined to get her answer.

Shuichi could practically feel himself melting in his seat, he wondered how red he looked right now. Maybe if he focused hard enough, he could disappear right then and there. “.......Maybe?”

“Uhhhh, then you totally like him.”

“Just because people kiss doesn’t mean they like each other...” He pointed out.

“Maybe, but when _YOU_ kiss someone then you like them. That’s just who you are Shuichi.”

Shuichi replied with an inaudible mumble, then sat up in his seat slightly. “Look it’s— It’s really complicated- I’m just a bit confused I guess... I was so focused on work and all and he just showed up out of nowhere-“

His ramble was interrupted by a piano tune coming from Kaede’s phone. She mumbled an apology as she grabbed it to take a look.  
“God, it’s already that time?- I’m sorry Shuichi, I have rehearsals for a concert soon, I need to start heading out...”

Shuichi smiled politely, nodding. “Yeah, of course..! When’s this one?”

“It’s in the beginning of next month- You should come Shuichi, and bring your soon-to-be boyfriend with you!” She teased as she stood up, fumbling for something in her bag. She pulled out a pink piece of paper with details of the concert, handing it to him. The detective graciously accepted it with a small blush on his face. Kaede reached into her bag once again, humming Debussy’s Clair De Lune. She pulled out her wallet, but Shuichi shook his head upon seeing that.  
“No no- I’ll pay for you..” He insisted. Kaede rolled her eyes, she was about to argue back, but upon looking at another text she got it seemed she didn’t have the time, and backed down.  
“I’m getting it next time though!” She protested, pulling on her bag. “Bye bye!” She called as she jogged out of the diner.

Shuichi smiled in amusement, pulling out his own phone to look at the time. He had planned to meet up with the Phantom Thief himself after Kaede, wanting to tell him the news regarding his job to his face. He had been sick last week, but recovered pretty quickly with Shuichi’s help, and soon returned to D.I.C.E. As much as Shuichi didn’t want to admit it, the apartment was boring without the thief running about and teasing him, or doing stupid things that resulted in him needing Shuichi’s assistance.

He pulled up his messaging app, scrolling through his contacts to find the thief, who he had simply marked with a horse emoji to be inconspicuous. He chose the horse because his rather iconic laugh reminded him of one. After he had given him his number, he was surprised to see that the thief had the habit of sending him good morning and good night texts (with an absurd amount of heart emojis) on a daily basis. They’ve also had quite a few, albeit strange text conversations on days when Shuichi was bored at work.

**You: Hi. Are you busy??**

**🐴 is typing....**

**🐴: planning out that world domination, so yes, hbu?**

**You: Can we meet up somewhere?**

**🐴: OwO whats this???? Are you finally asking me on a date???!?!!**

**You: No... I just wanted to tell you something, if you’re in the area..**

**🐴: okkkkkk fiiinne then I’ll be on ur roof in an hour**

**You: The roof?**

**🐴: it’s more interestinggggg and dramatic!!!!!**

**You: Fine, see you later.**

Shuichi sighed with the slight roll of his eyes. He decided to get going, catching the final drops of coffee in his cup, he stood up and paid, shortly leaving the diner.

Once he arrived at his apartment, he took a look at the clock on the wall. He had half an hour until their meeting, so he let himself fall back onto his his couch with a heavy sigh.  
He was satisfied with his decision, and felt it was the best way to go, so why was he still so god damned anxious? He constantly thought about everything that could go wrong, what if it didn’t take off? What if he ended up as miserable as he was with his previous job again? What if he didn’t make a good profit?  
He had consulted with the Ultimate Life Coach earlier that week on the matter. She had reassured him that it was actually quite unlikely that it wouldn’t work, because of his title of the Ultimate Detective. Many people seemed more trusting and comfortable with Ultimates, but of course there was the popular controversy that stated adolescents that were exceptionally good at something should not be trusted as much as people who studied in universities for years on end. Shuichi tried to stay away from those debates, but he understood the latter’s point of interest.

He sighed, feeling the anxiety bubble in his chest. He looked around for something to distract himself with, but his eyes just landed on the case board above his desk. Besides the pictures of the Amami sisters and the map of Japan, he had also added a picture of Hajime Hinata, another missing individual who’s case he was interested in. His case was intriguing indeed, even after a week of quiet investigation, not a thing came up. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.  
Even after breaking that bad news to Chiaki, she told him to keep trying. She was insanely patient, Shuichi saw that she simply wanted her friend back.  
When he had asked her why she insisted on strictly going to him when there were so many other detectives, she mentioned that one of her classmates insisted that he was “brimming with hope”. He supposed he was flattered, but it gave him a new kind of anxiety - living up to the title he was given. What would they do if he failed to solve a case?

He sighed, mentally cursing himself out for making himself more anxious than he already was. Standing up, he made his way to his desk, and opened one of the drawers, letting his hand rummage through the various files and other items in it. He eventually found a half-empty pack of cigarettes and pulled them out of the drawer.  
It’s not that he didn’t know smoking was horrible for his health. It was just that there were times where he didn’t care, and he just wanted to repel of the anxiety in his head. It wasn’t something he indulged in often, it was only every now and then. He told himself that he could have been an addict, but wasn’t, just to make himself feel better about the habit. He knew it wasn’t cool or attractive or good in any way, but couldn’t care less at that moment.

He slipped a cigarette into his pocket and walked out of the bedroom, he passed by the kitchen to grab a lighter, then walked out of his apartment.  
The detective made his way up the stairs, listening to the sounds of his ebony shoes echoing across the building’s stairway as they stepped up each stair.  
He arrived at the door to the roof, setting his hand on the door’s handle. He jiggled it, the door was locked. Sighing, he let his golden perceptive eyes scan the area.  
He spotted a potted plant, and tilted his head as he studied it. There were multiple ring stains on the surface the pot was sitting on, caused by water and soil. The amount of rings signified that the pot had been lifted and put down multiple times throughout god knew how much time. He lifted it up, and as he had expected, there was a key there. Whoever thought of the spot wasn’t even trying, he thought to himself.

After inserting the key and opening the door, the detective made his way to the roof. It was plain, with nothing interesting really there besides the ventilation system. He sighed, leaning on one of the walls near a vent.

He listened to the sounds of the city as he lit the cigarette and took a puff. He stared up at the smoke that left his mouth, finding it aesthetically pleasing. There was the usual sound of cars, people walking and talking, occasionally the muffled sounds of music from different places, and other various occasional sounds, like a dog barking or the sirens of a police car or ambulance, and of course, the prominent whirring of the vent.  
Shuichi lost track of time as he focused on the sounds and the cigarette. He inhaled the smoke and gracefully let it blow out of his mouth, time and time again, tapping the cigarette every now and then to let the ashes fall to the ground. It was almost mesmerizing.

After a little while, he stubbed out the cigarette and simply focused on the feeling of the cool air on his face. He did feel a little calmer after the smoke, so he let himself lose himself to the sounds of the city down below.

“Good afternoon my beloved!” The sudden voice pierced through the quiet city ambience. Shuichi turned towards the voice, and was surprised to see the Phantom Thief in his full getup - top hat, clown mask, gloves, cape and all.

“What’s with the getup? You’re not doing a heist today, are you?.. You never strike before or during the weekend...” The detective pointed out, and he was correct, the thief preferred not to commit heists during Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, and today was indeed a Friday afternoon.

“Mmnope! You know me soooo well! I actually have a second job as a terrifying birthday clown, I just got off a shift!”

Shuichi rolled his eyes at the lie. “Birthday Clowns don’t even have shifts.”

“You’re no fun, besides, you wouldn’t know that.” The thief replied, walking over to the detective. “Sooo? Why’d you invite me over willingly? I’m simply bursting with curiosity!”

“I just wanted to tell you something-“ Shuichi stated, the reply he got was the tilt of the head. He seemed to be waiting for a continuation. “Um,” Shuichi breathed in, he might as well go ahead and say it. “I’m quitting my job. At the police department..”

The thief stood there, in silence for a few moments. When he seemed to process the information, he threw his arms to the air in opposite directions. “Finally!! I was wondering when on earth you’d realize that you don’t need those idiots!”

“Don’t be mean..” Shuichi warned, he looked off to the side, to the view from the apartment’s roof. “But yeah... I’m going pursue Private Investigation instead..”

“Yip yip hurray! That’s a lot cooler than some police detective!” The thief cheered, but stopped short. “—Does that mean no more Phantom Thief cases?”

Shuichi smiled a little, it was almost a smirk, he was wondering when he’d realize that. “Well actually,” He turned back to him, golden eyes meeting the sight of a clown mask. “The beauty of being a Private Investigator means I can work independently, but also with the police on certain cases they may need me for. I made a deal with my uncle, I can be involved in every and all Phantom Thief cases..” He smiled, seemingly proud of himself.

The thief jumped up and down in his place with joy and relief. “Yippee! I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me like that~ That’s why you’re my fave Shuichi! I’ll make sure to make this next heist extra special for you!”

The detective chuckled, scratching the back of his head slightly. “Thanks, I guess.. Um, I guess that’s all I have to say.. I need to go to the station to clean out my office..”

The thief nodded, admiring the way the sunlight made the detective’s golden irises shimmer. He could stare into those eyes all day.  
“I’ll see you soon then my love!” He announced, he fluttered his cape in a dramatic manner and jumped to another roof, running off. Shuichi would have been a lot more concerned by the recklessness had it been someone else, but he was used to the Phantom Thief’s antics by now. He found the choice word “soon” he used to be rather interesting, but he supposed that was why he enjoyed knowing the thief, he was completely and utterly unpredictable. He raised his eyebrows, surprised with himself, he had actually managed to admit to himself that he enjoyed the thief’s company - which was new. Sighing with a small blush, he exited the roof area, returning the key. He left the apartment building, to head to the police station.

~🌸~

Upon arriving at the station, Shuichi was greeted by some of his colleagues, he stopped to talk to them for a little while before continuing to his office, or well, his former office.  
He was greeted by his uncle once he arrived, his uncle wore a smile on his face as he often did. When Shuichi had told him the news a couple days back, his Uncle’s reaction was the one he had feared most, because of the fact that he was technically his boss, and always was his biggest supporter and help when it came to his work. Surprisingly enough, he was quite supportive of Shuichi’s decision, and actually admit that he saw that Shuichi hadn’t been as happy with his job lately. Despite his worries for his nephew, he decided the best he could do was support his decision and do what he could to help.

“Hey buddy, how’re you feeling?” He asked with a cheerful smile.

“Uhm,, Good I think-?” Shuichi answered, taking a look around his office. He had already organized everything he needed to take into boxes, it all just came down to carrying them back to his apartment.

“That’s good. Who’s this?” His uncle asked with the tilt of the head, his smile didn’t falter. Shuichi looked at him, clearly confused at the question, he noticed his uncle’s eyes were pointed at something behind him, so naturally he turned to look.  
He didn’t expect what he saw one bit.

At the doorway stood a male who was no older than Shuichi, about 5’1 in height, his messy purple locks had violet highlights that were more noticeable in the light. He wore a white shirt that was accompanied by a colorful jacket, and his black jeans had fashionable chains and tears, and were rather form-fitting to the male’s petite frame.  
What intrigued Shuichi the most though, was his face. His skin was sickly pale and smooth, those familiar lips shone pink almost unnaturally, he probably wore lip gloss. But it was the eyes that gave it away, those wide, violet eyes that Shuichi had never seen before now.

“Kokichi Ouma!” The shorter male piped up, he held a hand out to Shuichi’s uncle. “Otherwise known as the Ultimate Supreme Leader! I’m a friend of Shuichi’s from Hope’s Peak y’see, he mentioned he needed help moving some stuff I believe~~” The familiar voice sang.  
Shuichi’s uncle firmly grasped his hand, shaking it.  
“I don’t believe we’ve met before then! Good to meet you, thanks for coming to help.”

Shuichi could only stare at the scene unfold in front of him, absolutely dumbfounded. He could have sworn he felt his heart jump right out of his chest, or his brain implode, or his whole mind shut down right there and then.

“So Shuichi! Whatcha want me to help with?” The violet haired male looked up, right at him. Shuichi felt like he needed to be slapped in the face.  
“Um- The u-uh—“ He stuttered, trying to get his mind to work. He couldn’t show his shock now, with his uncle right there. “The uh- box- that- those boxes—“ He finally managed to spit out, his hand made it’s way into his hair, and he tugged on the navy locks slightly. Maybe he was dreaming. He sighed an exasperated breath upon feeling his scalp burn slightly.

The other nodded cheerfully, but there was a devilish glint to his eyes. He was clearly enjoying the show Shuichi was putting on for him. “Aye aye captain!” He replied, walking over to his desk to grab two boxes. “I’ll wait for you outside then~!” He sang, practically skipping out of the room.

Shuichi‘s uncle stacked three remaining boxes on top of each other, looking towards Shuichi. “I don’t remember you introducing me to him?”

“U-Uh— Yeah- We recently uh, reconnected, I guess-“ The younger detective uttered out the lie. His uncle set the boxes in his hands.  
“Is that fine? Not too heavy?”

“No, it’s alright— I’ll see you later..” He replied with a small smile. His uncle nodded at him, and Shuichi rushed out of the room, eager to exit the station.  
Upon coming to the parking lot, he was greeted by the sight of the purple haired male once again, his beloved thief, unmasked and exposed. His violet eyes were big and knowing, they somehow were both mysterious and innocent all at once. The way his messy locks cast shadows over his pale complexion made his heart palpitate. Especially now with the sun beginning to set, the golden tones of the sun only enunciated his almost unreal beauty, Shuichi didn’t think he’s ever seen anyone so pretty before.

His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of the thief’s laugh.  
“Your face was priceless!” He wheezed, clearly proud of himself.

“You—- You are going to be the cause of my impending heart attack.” Shuichi stated, setting the boxes down and letting his hand go to his head to rub at his temples. “I really can’t believe you-“

“Your reaction was so worth it.” The thief smirked smugly. Shuichi caught himself before he started to stare at the way his wide eyes narrowed sensually when he sneered like that.

The detective put his hands over his face, thinking in silence for a few moments, he was still comprehending what was happening.  
“Kokichi Ouma...” He mumbled, letting the name dance on his tongue. “..It suits you.”

“Thank you, thank you~” Kokichi snickered, loving the way his name sounded being said by the detective’s voice he loved oh-so much.

Shuichi ran his hand through his hair, continuing to process the new information given to him. “Ultimate Supreme Leader. “ He huffed. “I was close...” He mumbled, thinking to the list of possibilities he had written down in his notebook.

“Yikes, you really do look like you’re going to have a heart attack.” The shorter male pointed out with the tilt of the head.

“I need to sit down-“ Shuichi muttered, he pulled out his phone and ordered a taxi to take them and the boxes to his apartment. After doing so, he leaned on the wall of the station’s parking lot with a breath.  
“So what’s with the sudden decision to do an identity reveal....?”

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to do one for a while, I just needed to find a good time.” Kokichi admitted, raising his hands up. His love for dramatics never failed to impress the detective.

Shuichi sighed, shaking his head slightly. “Okay. But what gave you the genius idea to go ahead and introduce yourself to my uncle like that? What if he recognized your voice or something?”

“It was pretty genius, wasn’t it?” He reveled in the praise with a smile. “The fun part is the risk! Besides, why would your uncle believe that his beloved, innocent nephew would be friends with the big bad Phantom Thief~?”

“Alright alright I get your point— Lower your voice, we’re right next to a police station—“ He breathed out another anxious breath. “At this point I think I’m more of a criminal than you are....” He mumbled, thinking back to the numerous illegal deeds he’s done in the past two months. Withholding information from police. Breaking and entering. Assisting a criminal. Conducting an illegal investigation. Entering an illegal casino. Involving oneself with the Yakuza. Misusing a warrant. Shit, brimming with hope? Realistically, he was brimming with guilt.

The thief seemed to notice anxiety taking over Shuichi’s conscience, he patted his arm. “Don’t stress detective!”

“Gee, that helps a whole lot, thanks.”

“Waahhh!! No need to be mean! I was trying to help!”

Their exchange was interrupted by the called taxi pulling up to the station’s parking lot. The two grabbed the boxes and piled into the car.  
“Honestly Shuichi, how much crap did you need from there-“ Kokichi muttered as he set the boxes down on the car seat, clearly struggling. Despite being rather agile, heavy-lifting was not his forte.

“Well, you yourself said you came to help. Deal with it..” Shuichi rolled his eyes, he sat on right side of the car, the boxes separated the two.  
The car ride was mostly silent, aside from Kokichi’s occasional humming and the sounds of him moving his legs around. Shuichi was convinced that he could not sit in one place for longer than five minutes.

Once they arrived and exited the vehicle, there was a tense silence hanging in between them as they carried the boxes up the stairs. Shuichi had resorted to carrying four of them, not in the mood to hear the thief complain some more.  
The two walked into the quiet apartment, dropping the boxes on to the ground.

“Yes?” The thief questioned.

“What-? I didn’t say anything—“

“But you wanna say something.” He glanced down at his nails, admiring them almost a little too intently.

Shuichi sighed, he knew there was no point in lying to him, he’d see right through the lies he desperately wanted to tell with ease.  
“I—“ He began, unsure of how to phrase it. “Can- Can we talk-?”

“Um... Isn’t that what we’re doing right now?”

“No, I mean like really talk. A-About _us-_ About this..... r..relationship.” Shuichi’s sentence shifted into a mumble in the end, as if he were scared of the word. Before the thief could find an answer, he continued. “I just have so much on my mind right now and I can’t keep stressing about this.. I just want to understand— What we are?? What the boundaries of this relationship are-?”

Kokichi looked up at him, his mischievous smile slowly faded as he listened to him speak. After processing what he had said, his glossy lips twisted into a soft, gentle smile.  
“Let’s talk then.”

Shuichi blinked, slightly taken aback at how serious he had taken his words. There was always something strange about the moments where the thief was genuine. It wasn’t a bad thing, of course, simply strange. “Um...” He began, but his voice faded when he felt his fatigue creep up on him. He so desperately craved a coffee right then. “Let’s... Let’s go somewhere...” He stated, looking out the window towards the setting sun.  
The thief silently marveled at the way the golden hour shone on the detective’s sharp features, his gold colored eyes looked like freshly poured honey, and the way his long eyelashes cast their shadows over his irises was the cherry on top. He ignored the forming pink tone on his cheeks, Kokichi Ouma did not blush, he thought. Before he completely got lost in his beloved’s features, he nodded.  
“Where are we off to?”

“Somewhere I can get a coffee..” Shuichi mumbled, he rose his hand up to rub his eyes, but stopped short of his face, not wanting to mess up the make up he generally wore to conceal the dark circles under his eyes. It wasn’t his proudest feature, and it certainly wasn’t something he wanted to reveal now, unaware of the fact that the thief had long realized that little detail.

Kokichi snorted, opening the apartment door for him. “You say I have a sugar problem, but I think we’re ignoring the really obvious caffeine addiction here.”

“It’s not an addiction.” Shuichi rolled his eyes defiantly, unsure if he was speaking the truth or not at this point.

The two made their way to the nearest local café, it wasn’t the most popular place, so there weren’t that many people to interrupt them. It was a place Shuichi would often come to with Kaito and Maki’s acquaintance, so it felt weird to be there with someone else this time around.  
After ordering his usual coffee and treating the thief to a hot chocolate, the detective lead him to the corner of the place, and they sat at the table there, enjoying the feeling of the red cushioned seats.

There was an awkward silence during the first few moments they sat, sipping on their drinks. The thief was the first to break it.  
“Soooooo? Say something!”

“I-I don’t know what to say— I didn’t even think I’d get this far actually-“ Shuichi stared at the coffee in his hands, watching the hot liquid ripple with every movement, and enjoying the way the steam felt on his face. “I guess I’ll start by asking— What are we? What’s this relationship—? It’s so.. confusing-“

“Whoa, hold it right there.” Kokichi raised up a finger in protest. “I disagree! It’s not confusing in the slightest! I can’t answer that first question, but I can say that I’ve made my point really clear, that you’re my beloved and that’s that. You’re the confusing one Shuichi, some days you’re all lovey-dovey and actually look like you return the feelings, and other days, like today, you totally hate my guts!” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with a pout. Though the expression was clearly exaggerated, there was a hint of genuine betrayal in his eyes.

“I—“ Shuichi began to speak as if he were about to argue back, but upon thinking about what he said, he found that he didn’t disagree with him. “..I’m.... Sorry.” He answered. The statement clearly surprised the thief slightly, he tilted his head in interest.  
“You’re right.. I’m indecisive regarding my feelings towards you..” He mumbled, avoiding eye contact, nothing new for him. “I’m sorry I made you feel betrayed.. or hated.. or something... I didn’t mean to hurt you in any way..”

The thief waved his hand dismissively. “Whoa, no need to get all apologetic on me Shu, you’re totally exaggerating!”

“You know it’s fine to admit that you were hurt or offended, right? You have feelings too.” The detective glanced at him for a moment, but quickly looked back to his cup. The thief decided not to answer that, much to Shuichi’s interest.  
“Are you scared or something?” He asked, practically wondering aloud.

Kokichi set a hand on his chin. “Scared? What could I possibly be scared of~?”

“Expressing how you actually feel. I mean, that’s why you exaggerate everything and lie, right?”

The thief hummed a bit, thinking of a viable answer. He had to admit, he was surprised that Shuichi had caught on to that so quickly, but he wasn’t about to let his mask fall so easily.  
“Oh, no! Everything I say is completely, one hundred percent genuine!”

“You’re doing it again.” Shuichi pointed out, clearly annoyed. “Every time you don’t want to answer something genuinely you lie instead...” He sighed, rubbing his temples in thought.

“Well hold your horses! I thought we clearly established that you’re the confused one, I don’t see why you’re focusing on lil’ ol’ me!” He pointed a finger at Shuichi. “What do _you_ think we are?”

Shuichi didn’t look too happy with the conversation steering back to him, but he decided to leave the topic for now. Clearly, Kokichi had some kind of issue when it came to expressing his genuine emotions, and the detective was determined to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

“I mean... Are.. Are we friends-?”

The thief tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Just friends? Yikes Shuichi, do you kiss all of your friends like that?” He drummed his fingers on the table, and took another sip of his hot chocolate, the drink left a light foam on the top of Kokichi’s lip, which he wiped off with the back of his hand.  
“N-No that’s not what I meant to-“

“I mean, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that _you’re_ the one who’s scared!”

The detective huffed. “Well yeah, of course I’m scared. Don’t you remember who we are?.. Maybe it’s easier as a P.I. now, but when I was with the police, there was a lot of risk even being near you-“

“Oh man Shuichi, I’m getting bored~~ If you don’t like me you should just spit it out rather then come up with some booooooring excuse! I have better things to do you know!”

“But if I said I didn’t like you, that’d be a lie... and I don’t want to lie to you, Kokichi.”

Kokichi felt almost this shiver go down his spine upon hearing the detective say his name so seriously.  
“Hmm? Is that the truthh~?”

“Wh— Why would you doubt that?? Are you scared of me returning the feeling, is that it?”

The thief shook his head. “Oh of course not! That’s a pretty silly thing to be scared of. I’m just sooooo worried that Saihara here is lying to himself~ I hate liars you know!”

Shuichi didn’t say anything, he set his coffee down and put his hands under his chin, looking up at the thief. They locked eyes, gold meeting violet.  
“You’re really........... interesting.”

Kokichi tilted his head, keeping his eyes on the detective’s. He wondered if Shuichi realized he was actually making prolonged eye contact right now. It was better not to point it out, he thought, he’d probably freak out and hide under those strands of hair. The thief could practically feel the detective trying to so desperately read him, he was really trying to rip off that mask of his. He could only applaud him for trying.  
“Got a deduction, mister detective?”

“I’ll tell you what I think.” Shuichi leaned forwards slightly, resting his chin on his knuckles.  
“I think you’re scared of two things. One of them is me returning the feelings you express, and the second is being alone, isn’t it?”

“Hmm, I don’t see how that makes sense, they totally contradict each other~ And who says I don’t like being alone? That’s awfully bold of you to say.”

“You constantly surround yourself with people, you’re clingy, even when you think I hate you, you make excuse after excuse, just to stay a little longer, and even right now, when you assumed that I didn’t return your feelings, you tried to shut it down first because you don’t want to be the one that’s left behind.” Shuichi’s eyes stayed on his, the thief’s face was... blank as he listened to Shuichi’s reasoning.

“I think you’re overthinking it, mister detective.”

“Well I think you’re just trying to avoid admitting the truth.”

“You’re so confident... Too bad you’re wrong.”

“I don’t think I am.”

As the two exchanged argument after argument, their faces inched significantly closer to each other, as if they were trying to prove to each other that neither of them were afraid of the other. Their faces were a mere few inches away from each other, their eyes stayed locked, and obvious tension hung above the two.  
The thief’s face shifted from a devilish grin into a neutral expression that Shuichi wasn’t quite sure how to read, but he found that whenever he wore that expression, he would say something true and genuine. So Shuichi was intrigued when he took a breath to say something, in possibly the most serious tone the detective had ever heard him use.

“..Shuichi I—“

“Shuichi!” A whole other voice called out. The two parted ways and turned their heads towards the voice, seeing two figures walk towards them.

“K—Kaito-? Maki??” Shuichi questioned upon seeing the two. A small tint of crimson appeared on his cheeks, he hoped they hadn’t noticed how close his face was to Kokichi’s earlier.

“What a coincidence!” The taller male exclaimed with a smile, Shuichi stood up to greet him, and yelped when he was pulled into a hug - though strangely enough, the hug wasn’t as strong as he remembered Kaito’s hugs to be.  
When Kaito pulled away, his eyes landed on Kokichi. He eyed the shorter male up and down, narrowing his eyes slightly.  
“And who’s this accompanying my sidekick today?”

Kokichi opened his mouth to introduce himself, but something seemed to click in his head before he said anything.  
“How rude!! Space man doesn’t remember little ol’ me?” He pouted, crossing his arms defiantly. “That’s like, superrrrr offensive....”

“Have we met??” Kaito brought up his hand to scratch his beard, clearly trying hard to remember.

“Soooo mean!!” Kokichi whined, jumping up in his seat. “We were in whats-his-name’s math class in Hope’s Peak! I can’t believe you’d forget someone as important as me, we talked like allllll the time!”

“Really??” Kaito furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, beginning to feel bad for being so forgetful.

“Neeheeheeh. Just kidding! We’ve never even had a conversation, I skipped like 98 percent of his classes, I was busy planting bombs around the school!”

“You what—?!”

“He’s just kidding.” Shuichi rolled his eyes, patting Kaito on the arm.  
“Shuichiiii! Why are you spoiling my fun like that? You’re even ruder!” The thief pouted, sinking back into the cushioned chair and taking a sip of hot chocolate.

“Okay—?” Kaito scratched the back of his head, clearly confused. “Anyways, uh, how are ya Shuichi?” His bright smile returned, his unlimited amount of optimism never failed to impress Shuichi.  
“Oh, I’m alright.. Kokichi and I were just.. hanging out..” He motioned his head towards the other male upon mentioning his name.

“That’s exactly what me and Maki Roll were doing!”

Kokichi audibly snorted, looking towards the quiet female. “ _Maki Roll_?”

“Don’t be rude.” Shuichi shot him a warning look, shaking his head slightly.

“Do you want to die?” Maki glared at the shorter male, who sunk into the red cushions of his seat.  
“Jeez, no need to go all murder on me! Besides, I’m immortal.”

Shuichi rubbed his temples, clearly troubled by the mess of a scene unfolding in front of him. Kaito noticed him reveling in his anxiety, and tried to disperse the situation.  
“Alright let’s chill-! He wasn’t trying to be rude Maki Roll—“

“Yeah, _Maki Roll_ , I’m the nicest person you’ll ever meet!”

“Don’t you _dare_ call me—“

“So Shuichi! Maki and I were just talking about my birthday before we ran into you guys—“  
Maki stayed quiet to listen, not before shooting a death glare towards Kokichi, who stuck out his tongue at her.

Shuichi looked up at Kaito with grateful eyes, nodding as a silent thank you. “Oh yeah... That’s next week, isn’t it...?” The detective replied, acting as if he hadn’t almost completely forgot about his best friend’s birthday with everything that’s been happening lately.

“That’s right! I’m hosting a party— and before you say that you don’t like parties and they’re not your thing— This one is super important to me, like it-could-be-the-last-party-I’ll-ever-host kind of important!”

“Jeez, what’re you dying or something?” Kokichi rolled his eyes, but inspected Kaito’s face with great interest, he seemed to go pale for a moment. Maki looked like she was but a second away from draining the life out of Kokichi’s body.

Shuichi ignored Kokichi’s remark. “Because of astronaut training, right?” He asked Kaito, who nodded in what seemed to be relief.  
“That’s right—“

“Um,, I mean....” Shuichi mumbled, trying to picture himself going to a party, it made his chest uneasy.  
“We won’t be that many people, I swear! Please please come Shuichi! You’re my best friend and I need you to be there!” Kaito clasped his hands together, practically begging. “Hell you can even bring Kokichi with you for all I care— just please come!”

Kokichi snorted at the remark. “You should get on your knees and beg like a dog then.”

Shuichi rolled his eyes and shook his head. “There’s no need for that- I can see this is important to you Kaito... I’ll come..” He smiled nervously, Kaito practically cheered.  
“Wowww, I’m so honored to be invited to the great Ultimate Space Man’s party!” Kokichi cheered along.

“Ultimate Astronaut-“ Kaito corrected him, beginning to regret giving his approval for him to come. It was all for the sake of Shuichi’s comfort though. He absolutely wanted him to be there.

“If you come I’ll strangle you.” Maki stated, clearly not a fan of the idea.

Kokichi wrapped his arms around Shuichi’s arm, hiding behind the detective’s figure as he projected his infamous crocodile tears. “Waahhh! She’s so mean to me Shumai!”

“Sh-Shumai—?” Shuichi questioned with a small blush, then shook his head, looking towards Maki. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he behaves...” He tried to reassure her, she didn’t look too convinced.  
“Ehh? What am I, a dog??”

The four conversed for what seemed to be another hour, Shuichi told Kaito and Maki about his change of jobs while he sipped on his fourth cup of coffee of the day. The three talked for a while, with Kokichi butting in every now and then to make some snarky remark that Shuichi would quickly shut down. Kaito luckily didn’t seem to take anything he said personally, and admit that he was impressed with Shuichi’s ability to be assertive with him and make him shut up so quickly. Maki was thankful for that ability of his as well.  
After a while, the group decided that it was getting rather late, and that it was time to disperse. They left the calm atmosphere of the café and said their goodbyes, parting ways. Shuichi offered to walk Kokichi to the bus station, to which he didn’t argue with.

The two walked in a somewhat awkward silence, listening to their own steps against the pavement and the cars driving by in a blur. They watched the city light up and bars and restaurants open, giving a very nonchalant night-life ambience.  
The detective was the first to break through the ambience.

“...Don’t think we’re done talking about your issue..”

“Mmmm, I don’t know what issue you’re talking about, actually.”

“You can’t keep avoiding this.... You agreed to talk about us.. I just want to understand you better, I want to understand why you’re afraid-“

“Understand me on your own time!” The thief exclaimed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “This whole conversation is soooooooo confusing!”

“Well, maybe if you actually answered with more straightforward answers, this discussion wouldn’t be so confusing.” Shuichi grumbled, looking at the ground. He was frustrated, he wanted his questions to be answered, but he only came out with more.

“Aw, where’s the fun in that? C’mon, don’t be upset Shumai!”

“What’s with that nickname...? Inspired by Kaito’s nickname for Maki..?”

“Why, it’s because you’re so utterly delicious, beloved!” The thief set his hands on his own cheeks with exaggerated lovestruck eyes. Shuichi rolled his eyes as he felt his face heat up. They arrived to the bus station, much to both of their dismay.

“See you then, my love!” Kokichi flashed a wide and innocent (yet somehow with devilish undertones) smile at him.

“Right... See you..” He stood still for a moment, he hesitated for a moment, but bent down slightly to kiss the thief on the cheek. “Beloved.” He turned around on his heel, standing up straight, and walked off. He could have sworn he had seen the thief’s cheeks flush slightly, but convinced himself it was simply the trick of the city lighting. His own cheeks however, were burning with anxiety at his own actions. He probably looked so stupid doing that, he thought, but he wanted to show him that he was interested, and perhaps convince him that there was nothing to be afraid of. He had no idea if it worked, but it was worth a shot, he supposed.

As the thief got on to his bus, he held his cheek slightly, telling himself he wasn’t blushing, because Kokichi Ouma doesn’t blush, he thought. But he was flattered that Shuichi pushed through his own anxieties and actually made a move on him in public, in a crowded bus station, he couldn’t help but be delighted.  
He pulled out his phone, intending to send his usual daily goodnight text. Once he decided that he had put enough heart emojis, he sent it off with an almost dreamy sigh. He saw the detective typing shortly after, and eagerly awaited the reply. Shuichi replied with a goodnight, and a heart emoji of his own, which was a new occurrence. Of course, he wasn’t going to show the detective how much it meant to him, so instead he made fun of his choice in emoji, and called him emo (he had it coming, he chose the black heart).  
He sighed, putting his phone in his pocket and turning his head towards the window to stare at the blurry lights of the city to distract himself from his heated cheeks.

Kokichi Ouma doesn’t blush, he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just cause the mask is off doesn't mean the adventure is over! boy oh boy do I have plans, we're not even halfway through my dudes. Anywayssss have a lovely day! (and hurray to me for this being the first chapter I'm NOT posting in the middle of the night.


	11. Don't Push Your Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ((Bonus Chapter))
> 
> Shuichi’s weekend plans take an interesting turn when Kokichi gets involved. Their shenanigans are joined by a few other faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fun little bonus chapter!! This was super fun to write, so I hope y'all enjoyyyy
> 
> Also small warning ig?? Just some sexual innuendos cause a certain inventor makes an appearance. Also mayyyyybe some slightly raunchy kissing at some point??? maybe??? hahaha oops :,))

Shuichi thought he had his whole weekend planned out perfectly. He had even taken the liberty of writing it all down in points to really sell the lie that he had his life in order.  
He was going to:  
a. Go over an embezzlement case he had recently got, and presumably solved. He simply wanted to double, or even triple check the facts.  
b. Take a short break, drink some coffee and eat something fulfilling.  
c. Continue looking into Chiaki Nanami’s case. He was determined to understand Hajime Hinata’s activity in Hope’s Peak before he was expelled.  
d. Place an order for business cards he had been planning on having for a while now.  
e. Begin organizing all the files he had cleaned out from his office, and hopefully finish doing so.

It was a relaxed weekend he had planned out for himself, he had to admit he was rather proud.  
But as Shuichi has noted in the past, having the Phantom Thief in his life brought, and he couldn’t stress this enough, the absolutely most unpredictable things into his life.

All it took was a single text from him, and his whole weekend plan was chucked out the window.

It started with one buzz, then two, then three. And before Shuichi knew it, he was being spammed with text messages. He deduced it was either Kaito, Kaede, or Kokichi.  
Upon picking up his phone, he was unsurprised to see the thief’s name pop up a vast amount. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious to know what Kokichi thought was so interesting that he had to bombard Shuichi’s phone with an absurd amount of messages.

**Kokichi: Shuichi**

**Kokichi: Shuichi**

**Kokichi: Shuichiiii**

**Kokichi: S h u I c hi**

**Kokichi: omg shuichi**

**Kokichi: Shuichi you don’t understand**

**Kokichi: answerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr**

**Kokichi: it’s an emergency!!!!!**

**Kokichi: it’s a matter of life and death**

**Kokichi: plz Shuichi omg im actually gonna dieeee**

**You: What’s up? Why the frantic texting?? Did something happen???**

**Kokichi: uh. yes.**

**Kokichi: there is a fuckinh CARNIVAL.**

**Kokichi: it’s so cool omg**

**Kokichi: Shuichi lets go on a date there pretty please I will never ever ask for anything ever again**

Shuichi rolled his eyes, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t amused. It was just a little cute. Like a child begging their mother for a sweet.

**You: Can’t you go with DICE or someone else?? I’m kind of busy with a case.**

**Kokichi: im willing to bet all the money in the world that u already solved it**

The detective huffed, looking towards the solutions to the embezzlement case he had drawn out, it taunted him, sitting on the desk like that. The thief was beginning to know him a little too well, he thought to himself.

**You: Still, I have other things to do..**

**Kokichi: like whatttttt organize your shit by alphabetical order?????**

**You: Are you stalking me?**

**Kokichi: no, I just know my beloved detective super well**

**Kokichi: come onnnnnnnnnn**

**Kokichi: I had such a good outfit planned toooo I wanted to look rlly pretty just for youu my love 🥺**

Shuichi couldn’t help the small blush on his cheeks. He shook his head to no one in particular, there was no way he was going to give in because of something so embarrassingly primitive. It’s not that he didn’t want to see him all pretty, he wasn’t that dense that he wasn’t going to admit that he found Kokichi insanely attractive but.....

**Kokichi: hellooooooooooooo are you aliiiiive**

**Kokichi: r you jacking off to the mental image of me being all pretty????? What a perrvvvv**

**You: No..**

**You: I still don’t see why you can’t go with someone else.**

**Kokichi: cause they’re not my beloveddd and I wanna go on a date w uuuu**

**Kokichi: come onnn carnivals are sooo romanticccccccc and it’s funn**

**Kokichi: plzzzzz stop being a workaholic for once lets have fun!!!**

**Kokichi: it’s just one little evening 👀**

Shuichi sighed, leaning back in his chair as he watched text after text appearing on his screen. He had been pretty stressed lately, maybe he did need to be coaxed into something fun. Kokichi wasn’t wrong, it was just one evening.. He could probably still accomplish most of his weekend plans the next day anyways. Or perhaps he was just making excuses because he didn’t want to admit the fact he wanted to go out with the thief.

**You: Okay, fine, let’s go.**

There was a pause, Shuichi could imagine the thief squealing excitedly on the other end, and couldn’t help but smile a bit.

After they exchanged information on where and when to meet, Shuichi spent way too much brainpower overthinking about what to wear. The thief mentioned how he was going to specifically make himself pretty for Shuichi, so he’d feel bad if he didn’t put at least a little effort into his look. Unfortunately, his options were severely limited since he wasn’t one to dress up. If he were completely honest, he was a little scared of style experimentation.  
He eventually settled for white shirt that had a small design of the universe embedded into the fabric (yet another gift from Kaito), and a black belt that supported deep violet jeans. After tucking the shirt into the jeans, he took a look in the mirror and almost cringed internally. It wasn’t that he looked bad, but he felt he looked like he was trying too hard, like some kind of cool-kid wannabe. He mentally cursed himself for being unlucky enough to not have time to change into something else, so he was going to have to deal with the fashion choice. He grabbed a black sweater which he tied around his waist, and walked out of his apartment, not wanting to be late. If anything, he always made sure to come a few minutes to everything. It was habit developed from his anxiety.

The detective enjoyed the feeling of the chilled breeze on his skin as he walked towards the nearest bus stop, he sent the thief a text to update him, saying he was on his way.

~🌸~

“Are you suuuuuure this is good enough?” Kokichi wondered out loud, looking towards his friend, who sat on her silk, pink toned blankets with her legs crossed. He had conveniently been in Miu Iruma’s (someone he somewhat considered a friend. Their relationship was questionable at times) apartment when he texted Shuichi, already positive that he’d get him to say yes to the date idea. He was just that good.  
And he had succeeded, as Kokichi Ouma usually does.

“Yeah yeah.” The inventor said for what she felt was probably the millionth time that evening. She was not completely focused on the Supreme Leader, instead looking through some blueprints for one of her newest ideas. She hadn’t even invited Kokichi, he just showed up unannounced as he often did, being fond of surprises. Miu didn’t really mind his company, especially considering the fact there were a lot of days where she was cooped up in her house working on inventions for days at a time, with no social interaction, so he was a good refresher at times.

“Like, I look hot, but not slutty-hot, right?” Kokichi admired his figure in the mirror, furrowing his eyebrows. He was in a dilemma of whether to wear the fishnets he had paired with his outfit, unsure if it was too much or not.

“Christ, why are you so stressed about this? And what’s the problem with slutty-hot? It’ll do your desirability wonders!” She spat out an obnoxious laugh, glancing up at him.  
“Well, my lovely cum-dumpster, unlike you, my beloved has a wonderfully pure and wholesome soul!” Kokichi huffed, setting his hand on his hips as he sneered at the inventor when she muttered some masochistic mumbo-jumbo about the nickname.

“Yeah sure, everyone know that those shy little emo boys are the secretly the perviest people you’ll ever meet!”

“Maybe in your horrendous fantasies, dear whore, but my detective is the best of the best. A true gentleman if you would.” He defended his beloved’s name with every inch of his being.  
“Ugh, you’re so in love that it’s disgusting Cock-itchy. Just earlier you were joking about him being like a sugar daddy, why throw shade at me?!”

“Cause he’s mine to tease, not yours~ Get your own victim. Can we get back to the topic??” He snapped his fingers repeatedly in her face, causing her to bat his hand away. “Fishnets or no?”

“Fishnets. Too plain without them. At least give your boy toy something to look at.” She responded defiantly, going back to her blueprints.

“Nets it is then!”  
The thief took a step back, striking a pose towards the mirror. Sometimes he was absolutely, utterly amazed by his skills.

The choice outfit for today was a magenta crop top, that hung loosely on the thief’s narrow shoulders, an inch or two of his stomach was left exposed. His stomach was covered by high-waisted black fishnets that elegantly wrapped his legs, and were visible through the fashionable tears in his form-fitting jeans. He thought the black leather platform boots really brought the outfit together. Hell, he felt daring and even threw in a choker, a small yellow gem hung from the black material, he had specifically chosen the golden jewel because it made him think of Shuichi’s golden irises.

Once he thought he looked presentable enough for his beloved, he completed the look with a dash of lip gloss to really make his lips noticeable, which he hoped would work to his favor.  
He turned around on his heel, striking yet another riveting pose.  
“Whaddaya think? I don’t take constructive criticism~”

“You look like you’re going to a gay bar instead of a carnival, maybe you guys should change up your plans!” The inventor laughed once more, the thief rolled his eyes. “But whatever, you look good enough I guess.”

Kokichi nodded defiantly, letting the compliment (?) boost his already inflated ego. “I’m off then~~!” He sang, grabbing his phone and lip gloss, both of which he slipped into his pockets. He figured that was all he needed, and waved Miu goodbye, she wished him good luck. He didn’t really lean or depend on luck, but appreciated the thought anyways.

~🌸~

Shuichi fiddled with the keys in his pocket, drowning out the sound of his thoughts with the jingle of the keys. He stood near the entrance of the carnival, intimidated by the pretty lights and various people. He found a new tactic to distract himself, he’d study the different people that would walk past him, guessing their age, job, personality and whatnot. He found it a good distraction, but then started to wonder about the first impression he made on other people. Before he spiraled into a new well of anxiety, the familiar sing-song tone of the thief interrupted his mind, lucky for him.

“Shuichii~~!” He called out, walking towards his beloved with his arms behind his back. Shuichi had to stop his mouth from going agape upon setting his eyes on him. The outfit he wore made something in Shuichi’s chest stir, he decided not to explore the feeling too much. That didn’t stop from his face going red though.

“H-Hi—“ He finally replied, practically forgetting he existed. He could barely grasp facts with someone so beautiful standing in front of him. He couldn’t believe that someone like this could be his... was this luck’s doing?  
Shuichi shook his head slightly, reminding himself that petty aesthetic shouldn’t be affecting him as much as he was letting them at that moment.

“Wowww! Shumai isn’t wearing something emo for once?? I’m so flattered! You’re wayyyy too cute.” The thief smirked, letting wide violet eyes take in Shuichi’s figure. Shuichi didn’t know where to look, so he stared at the ground with burning cheeks, fingers fidgeting.  
“Come now, don’t be shy! Show me the golden beauties!”

Shuichi pondered for a moment what he meant by that, realizing he was referring to his eyes. He had noticed Kokichi take great interest in his eyes before, he didn’t quite understand why, but either way, he obeyed him and looked up from the ground. His eyes met deep violet ones for just a second, but he quickly pointed them at his outfit instead, intimidated by the sudden eye contact.  
“Y-You.... You look nice.....” The detective managed to force the words out of his throat, moving his eyes around to mask the fact he was staring.

“Ohh! You’re making me blushhhh~!” Kokichi sang, setting his hands on his own cheeks. That was a lie of course, Kokichi Ouma doesn’t blush.

Shuichi rolled his eyes a little, now embarrassed by his own blush. He decided not to worry about it too much, he knew that the thief loved making his cheeks burn beyond temperatures of molten lava. Sometimes he was convinced he was going to spontaneously combust.

His overthinking was interrupted by a cold hand grasping his own, the pressure gave him the impression of electricity. Kokichi, whom the hand belonged to, dragged the detective towards the entrance with an exhilarated skip to his step.  
“Come on! Faster Shumai, you old man!”  
Shuichi swore he was babysitting a child rather then going on a date with someone his own age.

Once they entered, Kokichi practically squealed, marveled by the various lights and attractions that surrounded the two. As the thief looked around, clearly overwhelmed by the choice of what to do first, Shuichi found himself not admiring the lights, but the thief’s glowing face instead. The way the lights illuminated his features could make Shuichi melt, with the beads of sweat beginning to form at the back of his neck, he was almost convinced he was.  
“Lip gloss....?” He wondered aloud, his eyes inevitably landing on Kokichi’s lips.  
Realizing he had said that out loud, he opened his mouth to apologize - deducing things out loud was one of his endless amount of habits - but Kokichi simply turned to him and nodded with a smile.

“That’s right! Cherry flavored, wanna taste?” He teased, a smirk playing it’s way onto his features.  
Shuichi rolled his eyes, looking away from him. At least the different colored lights made his blush less noticeable, not that it mattered, Kokichi always knew exactly what made blood pool to his cheeks.  
“Maybe later..” Shuichi mused, he felt he needed to say it, since it wasn’t like he was completely _opposed_ to the idea....  
Kokichi seemed satisfied with the answer.

“So.. What do you want to do first?” Shuichi asked the shorter male, his eyes met with the rather tall Ferris Wheel that taunted him with its lights.

“Tsk Tsk Tsk Shuichi! The Ferris Wheel is always the last part of the date, I mean really, have you ever watched any romance movie ever???”

Shuichi found it was best not to answer that question.

“Let’s look around!” The thief exclaimed, entwining his fingers with Shuichi’s once again as he began to lead him through the jungle of lights, stands, food and whatnot. Shuichi actually made the effort to catch up and walk alongside him this time.  
He gawked at the numerous games and attractions, almost overwhelmed by it all. Kokichi suddenly stopped, his hand rose with his index finger pointing towards something, naturally, Shuichi’s eyes followed his gaze.

“We are totally doing this!” He exclaimed, Shuichi wasn’t one to argue, though he wasn’t sure how he felt about the haunted house Kokichi motioned towards. He figured the experience should be interesting enough, though he was jumpy, he also could often predict what was coming when it came to these type of attractions, they were a little predictable, he always thought.

After purchasing tickets (which Shuichi paid for, considering the thief obviously prioritized carrying lip gloss in his pockets rather than a wallet) and Kokichi teasing the detective by calling him a sugar daddy, the two were shoved into a pitch black room with three other people (the house was done in groups of 5) - whom they didn’t even get a chance to look at. The room was so dark that the two groups had no way to even take a glance at each other.  
Kokichi held Shuichi’s hand, which had begun to sweat slightly out of the slight anxiety pooling in his chest, he didn’t even know why he was nervous, the first trick would probably be to let them sit in darkness, then suddenly flash bright lights in their face and play some loud noise—

And still, he flinched with a small yelp when it happened.  
He was surprised to note that someone in the other group had yelped louder than he did though, not after letting a mumbled string of profanities spill out of his mouth, obviously annoyed. The detective felt a little better about himself, knowing there was a bigger scaredy cat amongst them.

As the door opened, though barely visible, the group walked through hesitantly. Shuichi could hear the one who had almost screamed earlier being ushered by his friend with hushed whisper-shouts. The third friend chuckled, his tone low and calm. He felt Kokichi squeeze his hand gently, almost.... reassuringly. Somehow, it sent a wave of tranquility down his spine, and calmed him more than any of the other distractions he had tried that day.

The feeling didn’t last long, it was quickly interrupted by another flash of light and a fake plastic horror clown falling from the ceiling, in front of the group. Shuichi yelped, gripping onto the thief’s hand tightly. Though Kokichi jumped a little, he quickly recovered and laughed a bit at the clowns “amateur design”. The rather jumpy guy from the second group sounded like he was having the worst time of his life, he was clearly terrified. Shuichi deduced he was peer pressured by his friends to enter the Haunted House.

The group stood there, recovering from the scare. They waited for the next door to open in silence, the only noticeable sound was light, frightened panting from the one terrified guy, Shuichi had to admit he felt a little bad for him.  
Still, they waited for the doors to open. But nothing happened. Shuichi wondered if there was something else that was supposed to happen in this room, and alas, his question was answered. An announcement on the House’s overhead speaker played.

_“Dear guests within our House of Horrors, we’re sorry to admit that there is a technological problem with the attraction’s functioning. We ask for the group inside to stay calm as we work to solve the problem. Thank you.”_

Before Shuichi or Kokichi could say anything, the other group began conversing.

“Oh, what unfortunate luck..” A soft, husky, yet oddly calm voice spoke.

“Fuck no! This is the last fucking time I let you guys talk me into doing anything like this stupid shit again!” An angry voice shouted, Shuichi was a 100% certain it belonged to the terrified male. He also found the voices oddly familiar. The aggravated voice continued to speak.  
“Honestly, we should’ve known better than to go into a dark secluded space from the last time we did something like this with Komaeda’s bullshit luck!”

“Komaeda??” Shuichi asked out loud, he then mentally snapped his fingers, realizing who the voices belonged to. The terrified male was none other than Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, and the calm voice from earlier was his classmate, Nagito Komaeda.  
Almost on cue, the house’s dim emergency lights turned on, finally giving the group a sustainable light source.

“Detective???” Fuyuhiko raised his eyebrows when his eyes met with Shuichi’s in the dim red lighting. Shuichi could have sworn that the shorter male blushed slightly out of embarrassment, clearly unwelcoming of the fact the detective had heard him shout and jump with fear.

“Wow! The Ultimate Detective himself, what a feat of luck...!” Komaeda smiled warmly, waving at the detective. He politely waved back.

“What’s thissss?? Antisocial Shy-hara knows people that aren’t me??” Kokichi tilted his head in exaggerated wonder, his hand stayed entwined with Shuichi’s. He seemed content with being able to show it off.

“Oh please..” Shuichi rolled his eyes. “I just.. Meet a lot of people on cases, that’s all.....”

“Ohhh,” the only male in the room that Shuichi hadn’t formally met yet exclaimed. “You’re that detective that was investigating Hope’s Peak a couple weeks back, I remember you!” He snapped his fingers, clearly proud of himself. Shuichi found himself enamored with his bright pink hair, and took interest in the wrench peaking out of the pocket of his jumpsuit. Technician? Mechanic? Constructor?

“Mechanic.” The pink-haired male answered. Shuichi’s face went slightly red, almost thinking that he had read his thoughts.  
“S—Sorry did I say that out loud—? It’s a habit-“ He rubbed the back of his head, letting his eyes look anywhere but the guy.

“No worries bro! You’re good!” He smiled reassuringly. When Shuichi looked at him again, his eyes widened slightly. Whoa, shark teeth. He made sure not to say that one out loud.

“The meet-cute is nice and all, but what the fuck is up with this place?” Fuyuhiko demanded towards no one in particular, his eyes caught sight of the fake plastic clown that was still on the ground, and jumped away from it with an intense flinch, he practically hid behind the mechanic’s figure with a startled expression. Shuichi pondered the fact that the Ultimate Yakuza himself was so jumpy. He felt bad, but it was just a bit amusing.

“I’m sorry, it must have been my worthless luck that got us into this predicament...” Komaeda stated, his pale lips twisted into a strange, almost ominous smile. “I’m sure something hopeful will come out of this unfortunate event..!”

“Um, I don’t see how this is your fault—“ Shuichi began, Fuyuhiko and the mechanic, whose name he still hadn’t caught, both shook their heads at him. Clearly, they were familiar with Komaeda’s antics, they weren’t the least bit weirded out.  
“No, no, it’s totally him.”  
“Yeah, that’s the Ultimate Luck for you.”

“Whaaaaaa???” Kokichi suddenly exclaimed. He had been uncharacteristically quiet while they spoke. “Ultimate luck? So you’re like super duper lucky???? That’s sooooo cool!!” He beamed, eyes practically sparkling.

“Oh, no, I’m really nowhere near the level of you Ultimates... My talent truly is hopeless..”

Before anyone had the chance to reply, the sound of the room’s side door opening was heard, and caused the group to turn towards the sound.  
A worker had explained the situation to them as he led the group of five out of the room and back out to the roaring sounds and lights of the carnival. He reassured them that they’d get a refund and apologized over and over, Shuichi felt bad for him. After receiving their money back (and the Ultimate Mechanic taking a couple of minutes to help restore the house’s functionality, to which Nagito rambled something about hope or something, Shuichi wasn’t sure, he stopped listening halfway through), the group was left to wander the carnival, deciding they might as well stick together.

After admiring some of the attractions, though never actually doing any of them, they all mutually agreed to sit down and have a drink to relax.  
They grabbed a table, and everyone placed their drink orders. Fuyuhiko got plain carbonated water, which Kazuichi (Shuichi finally learnt the mechanic’s name) thought was strange as he ordered a smoothie. Nagito settled for freshly squeezed orange juice. When Shuichi found they didn’t have plain black coffee to his dismay, he settled for a latte. It wasn’t as strong as he usually preferred his coffee, but he didn’t mind much, as long he was getting the caffeine he craved. Kokichi attempted to order a Panta, but was quickly stopped by Shuichi, who reminded him of the sickness that plagued him over a week ago. After a short argument, they compromised on grape juice instead.

“Waahh! You really are the worst sugar daddy Shuichi!” The thief groaned, crossing his arms.  
“Sugar daddy??” Kazuichi practically choked on air. “I thought you guys were dating???” He added, taking note of the way Kokichi clung to Shuichi throughout their time together.

“We are!”  
“It’s complicated—“

Their simultaneous answers overlapped, Kokichi didn’t look satisfied with the answer Shuichi had given, he crossed his arms as he let out an exasperated breath. “What a buzzkill!” He pouted with exaggeration. Or maybe not. Who knew?

The other three at the table decided it was best to leave the topic between them, clearly there was some kind of strain in their relationship somewhere that they shouldn’t get involved with. Before Kazuichi or Nagito could say something stupid (or what Fuyuhiko assumed would be inappropriate, that’s just who they were), the Yakuza quickly changed the topic. He rightfully did so too, he saw Komaeda open his mouth to say something, and that would certainly be the real buzzkill here. Sometimes he wondered why he even hung out with the two so often, one would assume it was to make him look smart, but really, he’d rather be with people that others considered doofuses instead of the usual Yakuza crowd. He needed that normality, and yes, even the stupidity sometimes.

“So—- Shuichi- How’s um, work??” Fuyuhiko uttered out to cut off whatever Komaeda was about to say. Being raised by Yakuza had it’s effects on his ability to indulge in small talk, especially with “normal” people. It was painfully obvious he was trying to change the subject, but the detective appreciated it and went along with the idea.  
“It’s alright,, I work as a Private Investigator now actually..”

“Oh! Do you have awesome murder cases, or some kind of blackmail scandal? Or something like uncovering top-secret human experimentation??” Souda bombarded him with questions, clearly listing out more fictional, Sherlock-esque cases.  
“Um, not really—?” Shuichi laughed awkwardly. “Besides, even if I was doing some kind of top-secret case I wouldn’t be able to tell you.” He pointed out. “Actually, this is a good time to ask— Have you ever heard of a student in Hope’s Peak called Hajime Hinata?”

Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi shook their heads.  
“Chiaki’s friend?” Komaeda tilted his head in question.

“That’s right! Do you know something??”

“No. I don’t involve myself with talentless scum like him.” He replied flatly, mixing his orange juice with his straw. It was the first time Shuichi had seen him devoid of a smile, he sighed, dropping the subject with a groan, not in the mood to break his mind over Hajime Hinata’s seemingly impossible disappearance.

“Speaking of talent, who even are you?” Fuyuhiko pointed at Kokichi, who was once again, uncharacteristically silent.

The Supreme Leader gasped with an exaggerated dramatic wave of the arm. “How could you not know me? Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader of Evil?! I’ll have my ten thousand minions go after you for this!”  
Shuichi rolled his eyes, sipping at his coffee. Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi had dumbfounded expressions on their faces, which the detective found just a little bit amusing.

“How is that even a talent??” The Yakuza questioned, crossing his arms.  
Kokichi scoffed, rolling his eyes. “How’s being a Yakuza even a talent? Same thing, doofus.”

“How’d you even know that? We haven’t even met before.”

Kokichi opened his mouth to protest, but quickly stopped himself upon realizing he was Kokichi Ouma at the moment. Fuyuhiko had met the Phantom Thief, but not him. There were times he played the thief so often that he let his other identity lose itself at times.  
“I know everything~~ That’s the perks of having a huge super-evil organization!”

The two looked at the detective for confirmation, he seemed more interested in his coffee rather than the thief’s lie, he simply shrugged in response. “Can neither confirm nor deny.” He answered, keeping his eyes on the foam that lined his mug, pondering if he should get another cup, then attempting to remember how many he had had that day. He did not remember. As he thought much too deeply about his caffeine intake, the conversation next to him continued.

“Besides, leading is a talent, dummy! I’m more interested in how luck is a talent!” Kokichi pointed at Komaeda, who was calmly listening to their dispute with a soft smile. “How’s it work?? Can you control it? Can you like, guess lottery numbers and just win???”

Komaeda shrugged, staring at his empty glass, then looking up at him, unsure of why he was taking interest in trash like himself.  
“I’ve already won the lottery twice, I suppose.. It really depends on-“

“Whatttt???” Kokichi almost jumped out of his seat with child-like wonder. “That is so cool!! So like, if we went to one of those stands where you guess how many marbles are in a jar would you guess the exact number??”

“Um, I can’t guarantee-“

“Oh man, we need to test this out!! I want to win all the games!” The Supreme Leader interrupted and hopped out of his seat, tugging the white-haired male by the jacket. “Come on!”

Komaeda wasn’t one to disobey. If he could be useful to an Ultimate by doing what they wanted, he was more than happy to oblige. With that, he stood, following the shorter male.

“Those two should not be left alone.” Shuichi immediately pointed out, already getting a bad feeling stirring in his stomach.  
The other two at the table immediately agreed, the three stood up to follow the other two, who were luckily slowed by the crowd. They managed to catch up.

“Kokichi don’t just leave like that—“ Shuichi grumbled over the sounds of the carnival. The leader simply flashed him a smile. “C’mon, don’t be a buzzkill Shu!”  
The detective sighed, and the group made it’s way to another part of the fair.

Kokichi led them to the exact attraction he had described earlier, there was a stand with blue curtains and a table, upon the table there was a jar filled to the brim with rather large marbles. Next to it, a box with a slit, presumably to stick in guesses. A man stood next to the stand, and greeted them. He told them anyone who could guess the right amount would win a prize, and motioned to an array of stuffed animals that hung from the stand. As he spoke, Shuichi wondered why people wouldn’t just go to a store and buy them rather than spend time on usually rigged games. His thoughts were interrupted by a pen and paper being shoved into his hands.  
The detective glanced at the rest of his group, who were all already scribbling down their guesses. Shuichi looked at the jar, and narrowed his eyes upon noticing an interesting detail, he took a good long look at the jar of marbles, mumbling something under his breath.

“Helloooo? Earth to detective??” Kokichi’s voice pierced through his deductions. Shuichi blinked, snapping out of his trance, looking at him and the others. They had already put their papers into the box.

“You’re not doing math in your head, are you? It’s a guessing game Shuichi!”

The detective looked at the jar once again, then scribbled down an answer. “It’s a game with a logical answer... it would be an actual guessing game if we couldn’t see the jar, or—“

“Okay okayyyy I get it- I know you’re a detective but you don’t always need to think like one you know! Think of it as something fun!”

Shuchi shrugged, writing down his name and folding the note. “Detective work can be fun..” he mumbled, dropping the note into the box and listening to it land amongst other papers.  
“Wow, indulging in your talent even now... so admirable...!” Komaeda gripped onto his own arms with a questionable expression.

To their luck, shortly after dropping in their guesses, the head of the stand decided to begin going through the answers. As a group of people gathered around the stand, Shuichi inched closer to Kokichi, clearly finding the forming crowd unappealing. The leader seemed to take note of his anxiety, and wrapped his arms around one of Shuichi’s arms with a firm, yet gentle grip. The detective couldn’t hold in his smile, and silently leaned into the leader’s touch. He couldn’t explain the comforting feeling he felt upon feeling Kokichi’s touch.  
And once again, the calming thoughts were interrupted by a voice, this time the booming voice of the stand-owner.

“We have a winner, ladies and gentlemen!"

Kokichi jumped up and down slightly in his place, wide violet eyes filled with childlike wonder and exhilaration. Shuichi found it adorably amusing.  
He wasn’t sure if he was surprised or not when Komaeda’s name was called. He could practically smell Kokichi’s mind combust.

“Nagito Komaeda, with the perfect guess of 39! Come along and pick your prize!”

Komaeda’s face crinkled with confusion, but he played along, and motioned for Kokichi to pick what he wanted, since he was really doing this to please him and not for his own sake anyways. The Supreme Leader’s lips twisted into a large childish smile as he let go of Shuichi’s arm. He pointed towards a large blue cat, with wide, knowing yellow eyes and white whiskers that fluttered slightly in the wind.  
“That one!” His voice called, high-pitched with excitement. The man complied with the request, and handed the cat to the shorter male, who squeezed it tightly in his arms. The crowd around them dispersed, not without envious glances from younger kids.

Shuichi rolled his eyes with a smile. “Honestly, how old are you......” He looked towards Komaeda. “That was a good guess though, I wrote 35 myself..”

“Oh, don’t thank me, by all means it doesn’t make sense, I didn’t even write 39..” He held the paper out to Shuichi, who grabbed it with a confused look. It did indeed say Komaeda’s name, and it said 39 above it, yet the 3 was accompanied by a smudge of the pencil’s graphite.  
“I wrote 89, seems the pencil smudged and made it look like a 39... How fortunate.”

Shuichi stared down at the paper with wide eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me.....”

“Komaeda, wanna join my evil organization???” Kokichi questioned as he kept the plush cat close to his chest. “I’ll make you my right hand man!”

“Oh, you wouldn’t want trash like me in your organization... I’ll politely decline for your sake..”

“How’d you even know it was such a low number??” Fuyuhiko questioned the detective with a cocked eyebrow. “Shouldn’t there be way more cause of the unseen marbles inside the jar??”  
The rest nodded in agreement, looking to Shuichi for an explanation.

“O-Oh um—“ He stuttered slightly upon seeing them eye every one of his movements. “Well you see uh- The jar’s rigged, there’s something in the shape of a cylinder inside it— You can tell because of the way the marbles are neatly positioned against the glass, if the jar was completely filled then there wouldn’t be such a neat pattern..” He smiled nervously.

Kokichi whistled. “Intelligence is _so_ sexy.. Isn’t he just the smartest??” He turned to the group with lovestruck eyes as his hands hugged the plush cat.  
“I-It’s nothing impressive—“ Shuichi shook his head slightly. He continued before Kokichi could begin arguing with him. “What are we doing next?”

“Well I don’t know about you, but I’m looking to exploit Komaeda’s power to the fullest!” The leader exclaimed, then pointed towards another stand. “Follow me, my minions! And beloved, of course!” He smiled almost innocently, Shuichi had to admit he was a little honored to have a separate title comparing to the rest of the group.  
Kokichi skipped off towards the next attraction he had motioned towards, Komaeda followed, obviously happy to be of use. Shuichi admit to himself that he was curious to see how his luck played out in this next feat, and upon looking at Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi, they seemed to be in the same boat. The three followed the other two with amused smiles.

The next activity Kokichi had picked out were one of those stands with numerous colorful balloons strapped to the wall, and darts provided for hitting them.  
“Now this is more up my alley! Come on, let’s have a competition dude!” Kazuichi exclaimed, slapping Fuyuhiko on the back, he almost fell over, but quickly gripped onto the other’s jumpsuit for support.  
“Just for that I’m compelled to say no.” He growled, but it quickly shifted into a sneer. “But I’m gonna kick your ass.”  
As the two sat at the counter, Kokichi ushered Nagito into the third seat, the latter didn’t complain. The three were each given five darts, the one that popped three balloons would get a prize. Kokichi and Shuichi took small steps to the side, watching intently.

“You guys should aim for the bigger balloons— If they have more oxygen in them then they’re easier to pop,,” Shuichi advised, the others took it into account.  
Kokichi wrapped his arms around Shuichi’s torso with an exaggerated dreamy sigh. “My love’s so smart! I’m swooning!!”  
The detective rolled his eyes a bit, already feeling the color red creep onto his cheeks. He and the shorter male, who kept his arms around him, both set their eyes on their friends, the bell rang and the time limit was set, and they each began throwing darts.  
Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi seemed to go a little too hard with the throwing, completely missing the balloons and welling up with anger, which deprived their abilities to throw well even more. Nagito this time, wasn’t doing much better, his first two darts fell short of the wall altogether, making Kokichi grip onto Shuichi tightly and shout. “Throw harderrr!!!” He cheered them on, though mostly referred to Nagito, clearly having his eyes set on one of the prizes.

Komaeda nodded slightly, obeying his words. He grabbed his third dart, and leaned his hand farther back, and threw as hard as his frail body could muster. The dart flew, and it did indeed hit a balloon, only it bounced off the lazily inflated rubber in a very strange manner, and hit the pole of the stand. The hit somehow didn’t falter the dart’s momentum, and actually managed to change the direction it flew. And truly, in a feat of unprecedented luck, the dart flew right towards it’s thrower, and jabbed the white-haired male right in the arm.

Komaeda let out a small yelp upon feeling the sharp end of the dart hit his arm, and looked down at it with a small frown. “Oh, what misfortune..” He wasn’t referring to the injury either, he was referring to the fact he couldn’t win a prize for Kokichi, feeling as though he let down his superior Ultimates.

“A-Are you okay-?!” Shuichi was the first to ask, jogging over to him with golden worried eyes. Kokichi trailed behind the detective, and took a look at the dart.  
“Yikes, something about that doesn’t look too lucky to me.”

“Whoa! Was that even physically possible?!” Kazuichi questioned as he looked at the dart.

Komaeda shrugged a bit, and gently tugged the dart out of his skin. “Ah- It wasn’t deep or anything... My coat took most of the damage.. I suppose I am lucky after all..” He rambled as he slid off one of his sleeves, since Shuichi insisted on taking a look at the puncture wound. He was right, the coat he wore ensured that the dart just barely pierced his milky white skin. A red dot where it hit was quite visible on his pale complexion.

The stand’s manager rushed over to the group after he had realized what happened, and profoundly apologized to the injured, ensuring that they would get a refund, and in a true feat of luck, he also offered the injured to choose a prize anyways as compensation.  
Komaeda’s smile returned to his face upon realizing that something good came out of the injury, he motioned for Kokichi to pick whatever his heart desired. The leader went for a plush black and white horse this time, and admired it’s mane upon taking it in his hands.

After ensuring the manager that everything was alright, the group thanked him and went on their way, as the night grew darker, there were less people in the carnival.

“Alright Kokichi, no more of exploiting Komaeda for today.. I think he’s had enough-“ Shuichi shook his head disapprovingly at the leader, who pouted as he clung to the two plush animals. He really did look like a child sometimes.

“Oh, I don’t really mind.. I’m always happy to be of use to an Ultimate.. There’s no reason to worry for trash like me,” Komaeda began one of his infamous speeches, but was quickly hushed by Fuyuhiko.

“Aww, don’t be mad Shu!” Kokichi frowned, looking around. He ran over to a big, plastic hammer on the ground and lifted it up, balancing the plush animals along his arms so they wouldn’t fall. “Wanna hit me with a hammer to feel better??”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, before he could say anything, Kazuichi yanked the hammer from the Supreme Leader’s hands and looked towards Fuyuhiko. “Let’s try another competition! Whoever hits the hardest wins!”

Kokichi went slightly pale for but a moment, thinking they were referring to him, but then realized that the hammer was attached to one of those High Striker “Test-Your-Strength” machines.

The Yakuza scoffed. “That’s not fair, you have the advantage you shit head.” He growled, obviously referring to the other males height and slight arm muscle, probably from all the work as a mechanic, Shuichi thought.  
“Now now, no need to be hopeless!” Kokichi stated, grabbing the hammer back from the mechanic, and putting the plush animals in his hands instead. “If you drop them I’ll whack you where it counts!” Kokichi winked with a devilish smile, walking over to the machine’s pad, where the hammer was supposed to hit. Fuyuhiko chuckled at the comment, sneering at Kazuichi who now held the stuffed animals with his dear life.

Kokichi gripped onto the hammer’s handle tightly, and swung with all 156 centimeters of his might. The machines puck rose a pathetic two inches and shortly fell back down. The Supreme Leader blinked and shrugged. “Well, I leave most of the heavy lifting to my minions anyways.” He handed the hammer to Fuyuhiko. “You can probably top that.”

Shuichi smiled a little bit, he could tell that that was his masked way of giving Fuyuhiko the confidence to participate. He knew Kokichi had his own unique way of expressing empathy that was usually hard to grasp by most people, so Shuichi was proud of himself for catching that one. It made the thief all the more attractive to him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the hammer slamming onto the pad, his eyes followed the puck as it raised up, a significant amount higher than Kokichi’s did. Fuyuhiko seemed pleased enough with himself. “Beat that, shark boy.” He scoffed as he shoved the hammer into Kazuichi’s hands.  
The mechanic rolled his eyes with a toothy grin, truly living up to the nickname. He raised the hammer above his head and slammed it down onto the pad. The puck went about as high as Fuyuhiko’s did. The latter smirked with a mocking tone. “Aw. What happened?”  
“Sh— Shut the hell up!” He growled, looking at the machine. “I was unlucky- or it’s probably broken or something, I bet I can fix it—“

“Um, I’m actually pretty sure it’s because of the way you swung—“ Shuichi spoke up. “You shouldn’t raise the hammer above your head like that, it’s better if you set it on your shoulder..”  
Kokichi hummed, then grabbed the hammer and set it in Shuichi’s hands. “Demonstrate then love! It’s your turn anyways~”

“M-Me—? Uh, I don’t kn-“

“Less talking, more whacking!!!” The thief quickly interrupted, not craving the inevitable self-loathing Shuichi was about to spew.

Shuichi sighed and walked over to the pad, following his own advice, he leaned the hammer on his shoulder with a tight grip, and swung the hammer down with all his might. Though the puck didn’t hit the bell, it noticeably went higher than the rest’s attempts.  
“Jeez detective, where’s the muscle hiding??” Fuyuhiko inquired. Shuichi chuckled nervously and shrugged, thinking of all the times he chased the Phantom Thief, or the training with Kaito and Maki. “It’s nothing, really....” He mumbled. Kokichi suddenly wrapped his arms around the detective’s torso, obviously begging to differ.  
“I bet you guys are soooooo jealous!! My love is a genius _and_ super strong!"

“Don’t be rude, Kokichi.” Shuichi sternly replied. Kokichi swooned.  
“And oh-so kind and compassionate!! I’m so lucky! Get yourselves a man like this!” Shuichi rolled his eyes as the compliments contributed to the redness of his face.

“Speaking of luck, I am dying to see Komaeda try this one out!” He smirked as he attempted to swipe the hammer from Shuichi, the detective saw it coming and held it out of his reach, using his height to his advantage.  
“No, I think we’ve had enough injuries for today.. He’s either going to break his arm or a piano is going to fall out of the sky and ring the machine’s bell. No offense-“ Shuichi glanced at Komaeda, who simply smiled with a small chuckle, he couldn’t really disagree with the detective.

Kokichi pouted, but gave up trying to retrieve the hammer. “Fiiiine.”  
Shuichi nodded in approval, setting the hammer down.  
“Well, this place is closing soon isn’t it??? Let’s end the night with the Ferris Wheel!”

“That’s so cliché.” Kazuichi rolled his eyes at the thief. “But fine, it could be fun!”  
Fuyuhiko eyed the wheel, breaking into a cold sweat. “What, like go up _there_ —?”  
“Uh, yeah, that’s what a Ferris Wheel does. What’re you scared of heights or something?”  
“No.” The Yakuza lied, grateful that Kazuichi was too dense to see it.  
“Great, let’s go!” He cheered, nudging the shorter male on the back.

“Touch me one more time and I’ll throw you off the top of that goddamn wheel.”

Everyone just laughed.

~🌸~

The group decided to enter the wheel in pairs. Shuichi entered with Kokichi, and Kazuichi with Fuyuhiko. Komaeda insisted it was better if he didn’t enter at all, he tried to keep his luck away from confined, up-high places. The rest agreed with that reasoning, and entered the compartments.

The was a short silence between the detective and thief as the wheel began to turn. Kokichi was busy staring out at the carnival’s lights, so it was up to Shuichi to break the silence.

“Um.. That was quite the evening... Dunno if that was even considered a date..” Shuichi chuckled, leaning back in his seat.  
Kokichi looked at him, tilting his head with a small pout. “Didn’t you like it?? Did you wanna be alone with me?”

Shuichi laughed a little and shook his head. “No, don’t get the wrong idea, it was fun. I liked seeing you bringing everyone together..”

Kokichi hummed in wonder as his hand grazed the top of his plush animals’ heads. “Hmmm? Is that what I was doing?”

“Well, yeah, you were the one leading everyone around, and getting everyone to participate in the games and attractions. I saw you trying to boost Fuyuhiko’s confidence back there, and don’t think I didn’t catch that worried gasp when Komaeda was hurt.”

“Hmm, funny, I don’t recall doing any of that!” The thief shrugged, clearly lying.

Shuichi rolled his eyes. “Deny it all you want. I know what I saw.. it was cute.” He admit, looking towards the male in front of him with a soft and knowing smile.

“Cute, you say?” Kokichi hummed in interest. “What does being cute get me?” He looked up at the detective with eager eyes, as if he were waiting for a prize.

Shuichi pondered for a moment as his eyes wandered to his lips for but a second. He had to admit, he did feel a little bit daring today. So what the hell, he thought, he leaned towards the thief, and pecked his lips. There was a subtle sweet taste that lingered on his lips, the apparent cherry flavored lip gloss, Shuichi assumed. He found himself craving that sweet taste once more, and he was uncertain if it was the lip gloss or Kokichi’s lips that had that effect on him.

“Hmmm,” Kokichi hummed once more with a small smirk playing his features. “Isn’t it sweet?” He asked. Shuichi was about to question what he meant, but realized he was referring to the lip gloss.

“Ah... Yeah...” Shuichi answered with a nervous smile.

“I spent the whole evening trying not to lick it off!” The leader pointed out. “I was saving it for you..” He pouted slightly, letting his legs bump into Shuichi’s.  
Shuichi could tell that he saw the hunger in his eyes, he realized that the last time they even had a real, long kiss was way back when, on their first date. He blushed at the thought, it didn’t improve his craving. But then again, he already knew that Kokichi could see right through his thoughts, hell, this was probably his plan all along, so was there really a point in holding back?  
He decided there wasn’t.

The detective gently let his hand graze the thief’s cheek, and trail into his soft purple locks. He leaned into his warmth, and they locked lips, Shuichi tasted the saccharine taste of cherry and let it engulf his own lips. He could have sworn that it was drugged or something of the sort, because something came over him that made his actions more aggressive. Maybe it was the fact he didn’t want to admit that he missed the feeling of kissing him, or maybe it was the thought that he could’ve done this earlier and didn’t, perhaps it was just because the cherry tasted so good. But all he knew was that he wanted to ruin that neatly spread lip gloss and replace the taste of Kokichi’s lips with his own, accompanied by a hint of coffee with steamed milk. He made sure that was going to be the only damn thing Kokichi tasted when he was done.  
The sudden aggression took the thief by surprise, but he had absolutely no complaints. He graciously accepted the taste of the latte and the warmth that Shuichi offered, and couldn’t control the sharp breath that escaped his nose when the detective grazed his tongue over his lips. God, sometimes he just wanted him to ruin him.

The detective eventually pulled away, reminding himself that breathing was a necessary evil. The only sounds in the compartment was soft panting, both of them working to catch their breath.  
Shuichi turned towards the view of the entire carnival, realizing that was supposed to be the reason they were even in the Ferris Wheel in the first place. He felt his cheeks heat up to temperatures he wasn’t sure he could handle at times. When he finally turned his head to look at Kokichi, he was greeted by a sly smirk.  
“Couldn’t help yourself?”

“Sh—Shut up—“ He slumped down in his seat, using the sweater tied around his waist to cover his face. He heard a chuckle, then felt something on his lap. Removing the sweater from his face, he saw that the plush horse they had gotten earlier was placed on his lap.

“I wanted to give that one to you! You said my laugh reminds you of a horse, so now you’ll have an eternal reminder of me~ Neeheeheeh!” His iconic laugh rang as he smiled. Shuichi snorted a little, taking the plushie to his hands.  
“Thanks,, I’ll cherish it.” He smiled, running his fingers across the black and white coat.

“Sooo? What’re you gonna name it?”

“Name it??” Shuichi laughed a little at the childish thought, but he didn’t dislike it. “Um, I’m not sure.. What’d you name yours?” He eyed the cat that was perched on his lap, it’s whiskers bounced slightly with Kokichi’s movements.

“I would never name a toy! What do I look like, a child?? I’m the Supreme Leader of Evil.”

“Wh- What?? So why did you ask me t—“

“Just kidding! I named him Saishu!” He smiled innocently, patting the cat’s head.

Shuichi rolled his eyes. “Wow, really subtle.”

“What??? He looks like you, doesn’t he?” Kokichi raised the plush cat to Shuichi’s field of vision. “He’s all emo colors and his eyes are gold, just like you!”

“Thanks a lot-“ Shuichi couldn’t help but smile though. He looked down at the horse, eying the black dots on it’s pure ivory coat. “I’ll call him Dice then..”  
The leader smiled, and nodded in approval.

With that came the end of the Ferris Wheel ride, the two completely forgot they were even on the ride in the first place. After exiting and meeting up with the other three, they all mutually agreed to disperse, as it was getting late and the carnival was closing. They parted ways after exiting the carnival grounds, admitting that it was a fun experience.

Shuichi and Kokichi walked into the city, which was alive as usual, no matter the hour of night.  
“Well, I think we part here.”

“Aw, I could walk you home like the gentleman I am!”

Shuichi shook his head. “Nope. Cause then you’ll stay over, and I have to work tomorrow, can’t have any distractions. Don’t push your luck.”  
Kokichi pouted. “It was worth a shot.”

The detective laughed a little. “It was. Sorry.. Maybe another time.” The thief seemed content with the answer.  
“Bye bye then!”

Shuichi nodded, not before kneeling down to lock his lips with him one last time for that night.

He was satisfied to know that the cherry taste was no longer there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wahahah you can see that im also a filthy kuzusouda shipper :,)) anyways, hope y'all enjoyed the chapter~~ we're getting back to investigating a certain case next chapter!


	12. The Art of Lockpicking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The detective’s arms were devastatingly empty when he awoke from his slumber. He squinted at the sunlight peaking through the blinds, it illuminated his desk and case board brilliantly. That goddamn photo stared at him, green eyes glinting in the sunlight, watching his every move. He felt like he was being judged for what he was going to do today._
> 
> Shuichi asks for Kokichi's assistance with a case, he's more than happy to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tiny warning i guess?? mentions of suicide (no ideation or anything, the topic just comes up in relation to the case)

It’s not possible for someone to disappear into thin air, is it?

That’s what the detective consistently asked himself while working. He was tired of staring at the name Hajime Hinata, typing it over and over, trying to find something. The police refused to help him with this case, so his resources were scarce. He had to rely on public information and the local community. The only issue was the fact that there was nothing, absolutely nothing on any online public records. He didn’t understand how that was even possible, everyone upon everyone had something about them online, that was the curse of the internet. He checked for a social media as well, and found nothing once again. He supposed it was possible for him not to have one, despite being a teenage boy, but still found it unlikely.

Shuichi groaned, spinning around in his chair, he let the impending dizziness take over his mind for moment. When his chair finally stopped, and the room stopped spinning, his eyes landed on the picture of the student pinned up on his case board. Those focused, green eyes watched his every movement, Shuichi made a face at the photo, despite being aware it was nothing but a picture.

“Who are you, Hajime Hinata....? Why doesn’t anyone know you?” He asked the photo, naturally not receiving a response. He inched his chair closer to his desk, opening up the case file and letting his eyes skim through the minimal amount of information he had.  
“You’re only seventeen.. Don’t you have friends? Don’t you have a family?.. Why’s Chiaki Nanami the only one that notices your absence?” He asked once again, the only response being silence. It was broken by another groan from the detective, not even the Amami sisters were this confusing.

“How could you just disappear like that...? You’re a talentless, high school boy... You don’t have the ability to keep yourself hidden..” He mumbled, his eyes landed on the Hope’s Peak Crest that was present on his uniform in the photo.  
“...They would, wouldn’t they..?” He wondered aloud. If Hope’s Peak had the ability to cover up murders to the point that the general public hadn’t heard of them, or tamper with evidence, surely someone in Hope’s Peak had the ability to erase someone’s online presence.

“But why bother?” Shuichi tilted his head, staring at the photo. “What did you do?” He paused as though he was waiting for some kind of answer, and cursed himself when no new revelation fell from the sky.  
“Or did they do something to you?..” He mumbled, leaning back in his chair. What could they have done? What reason does Hope’s Peak have to erase evidence of a student’s disappearance?  
That school was a mystery wrapped within another mystery, topped with secrets upon secrets.

He wasn’t sure where to look anymore. He had checked social media, every public record with the name, talked to the only person who actually seemed to know him, which was Chiaki- though Sato seemed to know him as well, who knew what had become of her now? He wouldn’t know, since it would be yet another thing Hope’s Peak would cover up.  
Supposedly, the only place he had left to check was Hope’s Peak itself.

Chiaki had mentioned something of interest on the day she came to report the missing person.  
“..but the thing was that he never came to clean out his dorm or anything..”  
Could it be that an answer lied in his dorm room?

Shuichi shook his head. There was no way that Hope’s Peak would go through all the trouble of erasing his existence and not bother cleaning out his dorm. But then again, he wouldn’t know unless he checked. It was the only lead he had.

He hummed, tapping his pen on his chin in thought. How would he pull this off? He had no warrant this time, he didn’t work with the police anymore, and he didn’t have a way to enter the dorm in the first place.

The detective suddenly snapped his fingers, and jogged over to his closet. He threw open the cedar wood doors and kneeled down, rummaging through the closet.  
It was there somewhere, he knew he kept it out of sentimentality-  
“There you are..!” He exclaimed to the empty apartment, and pulled out an article of clothing that was carefully stowed in a plastic wrap.  
His old Hope’s Peak Uniform.

Shuichi wasn’t a complete stranger to undercover missions. He had done a few in the past, but none of them were anywhere close to as risky as the one he was planning to pull now.  
Anxiety began bubbling in his chest when he realized the plan he was beginning to form. What the hell was he thinking?? He couldn’t do something like this.. What if he was caught? What would become of him then? Maybe Hope’s Peak would kill him and cover up the murder. He tried to laugh at his own joke, but it fell flat upon realizing it may as well have been an option.

He sighed, throwing the uniform onto his bed. He proceeded to the next part of his plan, which was asking for help from an unexpected source. Shuichi grabbed his phone from the top of his desk and used his fingerprint to open it up, he scrolled through some unopened messages he wasn’t in the mood to answer and clicked on a chat with a specific contact.

**You: Can I ask you a question??**

**Kokichi is typing...**

**Kokichi: are you asking for my hand in marriage?????? yesssssssss!!!!!!!!**

**You: This is serious.**

**Kokichi: okkkkkk buzzkill, whats up**

**You: You know how to lock pick, right?**

**Kokichi: yeppers!!**

**Kokichi: lmao did you lock yourself out of the house or smthn??**

**You: No..**

**You: Could you teach me?**

**Kokichi: whaaaaaaaaa?? are you planning on breaking into someones house?? Can I come?!?!??!!**

**You: It’s for a case.. I don’t have any other options at this point..**

**You: So? Can you?**

**Kokichi: I dunnooooooooo, I wouldn’t want to taint my beloved’s soul with my criminal mastermind skills**

**You: Kokichi, seriously.**

**Kokichi: Ok okkkkkkk, since you asked so nicely !!! When should I come over??**

**You: As soon as possible.**

**Kokichi: OwO so eager~~~~~~**

**Kokichi: I’ll be there at 6**

**You: Alright.**

**You: By the way, could you bring my old hat with you? It’s only for the case, you can have it back afterwards if you’d like.**

**Kokichi: okie dokiee**

**You: Thank you.**

Shuichi let himself fall into the soft cushions of his bed, dropping his phone on his pillow in the process. Maybe this plan was too brash. Perhaps he’d chicken out at the last second and spare himself the immense anxiety and risk. Maybe he was overthinking and over-planning this all too quickly because he hadn’t slept in the past 30 hours or more. He wanted to blame it on Hajime Hinata, but that wasn’t entirely the truth.  
He sighed a heavy breath, wishing his anxiety would leave his body along with the carbon dioxide. Checking the time, he found it was almost 5, meaning Kokichi would be there in an hour. Perhaps he could work in a small nap in the lone hour, or just rest his eyes... He felt his eyelids growing heavy with fatigue, so he decided to give in to it this time, figuring a short nap wouldn’t hurt, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

~🌸~

The detective slowly awoke to the sound of soft, melodic humming. It was a sweet sound to his ears. He was also strangely comfortable, feeling a soft blanket wrapped around him, the feeling of the soft fabric alone was enough to make him pass out in ecstasy, and whatever was tracing along his scalp only added to the euphoria. He opened his eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of his one and only beloved thief. He stared upwards at him, taking a couple of seconds to process exactly what was happening.  
He realized by the angle he was seeing Kokichi, his head was laying on his lap, and as he had established earlier, he was comfortably wrapped in a blanket. The thief’s hand was softly entwined in the bluenette’s locks, tracing his slim fingers along his scalp, and his other hand was holding his phone, seemingly reading something judging by the way he was intently scanning the screen.

“Kokichi.......?” Shuichi mumbled, not making an effort to get up or even move. He was.... so fucking comfortable.

“Oh! Good evening, beloved!” His eyes snapped down to the detective, he wore a wide smile on his face, and Shuichi realized his head was clad with the detective’s old hat, his messy purple locks vigorously peaked out the sides.

“Wh..... What time is it...?”

“Just about 7:30PM, a fine cloudy evening with a high chance of rain throughout the night—“

“What?? Why didn’t you wake me up when you came—?” Shuichi interrupted his weather report with a stern tone.

“Um, I did. But you were like, completely passed out. I tried to wake you up and you kind of did?? You were half asleep, like a cute little zombie.” Kokichi giggled, continuing to run his fingers through the detective’s hair. “So I let you sleep some more. How many days has it been?”

“I don’t know... one.... two........?” Shuichi mumbled, pulling the blanket to his chin, feeling his eyelids growing heavy once more, the feeling of Kokichi’s fingers almost put him into a trance. He saw him shake his head in disapproval at the insomniac’s wonky sleep schedule.  
“How’d you even get in here...?”

“With the very skill you requested a lesson on~”

“Oh— Right.” Shuichi suddenly remembered why he invited Kokichi over in the first place. He couldn’t be wasting time on something as primitive as sleep. With the thought in mind, he sat up, making a pout form on Kokichi’s face.

“Can we get started then??”

“Mmmmmnnnn, I dunno how I feel about teaching someone who clearly hasn’t slept in the past two days. How’s about postponing it to tomorrow??” He offered with a smile. In reality, concern laced his wide violet eyes, but Shuichi was too tired to pay mind to that detail.

“No. I need it now. It’s for a case. I need to go tomorrow— I’ll sleep tonight, after you teach me just- Please- It’s important—“ The detective pleaded with him. The thief sighed. He knew Shuichi was stubborn when it came to his job, he’d take a bullet before he’d take a nap if it meant work.

“Alright, alright, cause you asked so nicely. I hope you’re a fast learner!”  
Shuichi smiled a little towards him, and nodded.

“What’s this case anyways??” Kokichi questioned with curiosity, in the mean time, he pulled out a small box from his pocket, which contained the magic tools for his lock picking.

Shuichi pointed towards the case board, at the picture of Hajime Hinata, Kokichi followed his gaze.  
“Missing person. Expelled from Hope’s Peak then completely disappeared into thin air. The only lead I have on him is his dorm room..”

“So you’re gonna break into it??” Kokichi cocked an eyebrow in question.

“I don’t have a choice....” Shuichi huffed, staring at the student’s photo with troubled eyes.

“Well, I like your style detective!” Kokichi laughed, he shoved the bed’s blanket to the side and opened the small kit he held. The thief took out three small tools, and lined them up on the bed.  
“Let’s get this lesson started!”  
Shuichi nodded, looking down at the tools with curious eyes.

Kokichi introduced the detective to each one of the tools, the tension wrench, pick, and rake were their names. Shuichi listened carefully as the thief explained each tool’s use, and added points on the construction and functionality of a lock. He told Shuichi about using lubricant designed especially for locks that haven’t been in use for a while, the detective had never even heard of such a thing - it definitely wasn’t something shown in movies. Lock picking always looked so easy in media.  
Shuichi admired how seriously Kokichi took the explanation, it was rare to see him so calm and focused on a single subject. Throughout the explanation, he consistently asked Shuichi if he understood, and if he had any questions. He found it cute, and the leader in his heart truly did shine at those moments.

Once he finished the verbal explanation, he figured it was time to show Shuichi the real deal. The detective dug out the key that came with his bedroom door - he never used it, there was no point since he lived alone - and handed it to the thief, who locked them both in the room, and set the key aside.  
He began to demonstrate the proper way to pick a lock using the three chosen tools. He did it slowly, so that Shuichi could get a good look at the motions he used, he also mentioned something about having a mental image of the lock’s functions in his head, so Shuichi took note to have a look for himself.  
After a minute of explanation and fumbling with the tools, a click was heard, and the door could open once more.

“Ta-da~~” The thief’s voice sang, he took a small bow, and the detective couldn’t help the smile on his face.  
“Impressive..”

“That’s right! I’ll do it again at a normal pace, and then it’s your turn!” Kokichi stuck out his tongue with a smile, locking the door once more.  
He returned to his knees, and began picking the lock at a faster pace than before. Shuichi did his best to pay close attention to the quick movements, making mental notes of what he was doing. When a click was heard yet again, the thief nodded slightly, clearly proud of himself.

“It’s your turn Shumai~!” He called out, looking towards the detective. He gave a small nod, and walked over to the door, sitting on the floor next to Kokichi, who handed him the tools.  
“All yours!”

“Thanks-“ He nodded in reply, taking a look at the tools in his hands as Kokichi locked the door once more. Shuichi got to work, attempting to mimic what the leader had done earlier, applying pressure to the keyway with the tension wrench. Kokichi had mentioned that this was to get a sense of the tightness of the plug and to feel for the position where the pins bind in the lock mechanism, so he could stop the plug from turning.

As he felt for the lock’s binding pins, Kokichi watched intently with a soft smile on his face. Although he was impressed with the detective’s abilities to follow directions, he could tell he wasn’t a hundred percent focused.  
“Whatcha thinking about?”

“Opening the door.”

“That’s a lie Shumai~~”

Shuichi sighed as he fumbled with the small tools in his hand, keeping his eyes on the lock. “About the case..” he mumbled, getting a feel for the lock’s binding pin.

“I miss the days when you were my hardest case...” He added. “But missing persons seems to be all the rage these days.”

“I can see that! Maybe I should go missing??”

“Please don’t.” Shuichi rolled his eyes.

Kokichi giggled a bit. “Don’t push too hard Shumai, too much pressure will make the lock freeze and the pins’ll reset!”

“Oh- Okay,,” He nodded slightly, taking that into account.  
“...Hey Kokichi, if someone told you that they were going to become “better” or they were going to “make themselves useful” and have a purpose, then disappeared the next day.... What would you think happened to them?”

“What, like honestly?” He blinked, looking towards the photo of the uniformed student. “Kinda sounds like suicide to me.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too.... It was an option, since I was told he had a lot of self-identity issues but.......” He huffed. “It doesn’t line up with any evidence.. That doesn’t explain how every trace and public record of him online just- disappeared.”

Kokichi hummed, eyes scanning the brunette, he found the spiky hair amusing. “Maybe he did commit suicide, and Hope’s Peak covered it up by saying he was expelled??”

Shuichi pondered for a bit, and nodded. “I suppose that’s an option.. but why cover it up completely...? Why not pin the blame on something else and spare the trouble..?” He heard a pin click inside the lock, though it wasn’t the kind of click that meant the door opened, it was the click of the pins resetting. He had pressed too hard. He groaned, setting his forehead on the door.

“Aw come on, don’t give up! Try again!” Kokichi encouraged him.  
Shuichi sighed, but nodded, taking the tools out and reinserting them.

“Maybe the person who reported him missing is delusional, and in reality this guy doesn’t even exist!” Kokichi snapped his fingers at the revelation.

“Highly doubt it. I’d be more prone to believe you if two other people didn’t say his name.

The thief scoffed. “Okayyyyy, well I’m not the detective here, buddy!”  
“I know, I know, but it’s good to have a second opinion sometimes... I’d be biased to my own opinions if I didn’t ask other people.”

Kokichi sighed dreamily, clasping his hands together. “My beloved, so smart~~” He smiled when he rolled his eyes at him.  
They sat in silence for a few moments, the only sounds being the metal tools scraping along the lock’s mechanisms.

“Hey Shumai, what do you get out of being a detective?”

“What do you get out of being a thief?”

“S’fun. The adrenaline is nice. It’s not boring, I hate being bored.”

“Well, I could say the same thing.”

“I suppose.” The leader leaned on the wall, setting his hands on his knees. “I kind of thought that you’re doing it just cause it’s your Ultimate title.”

“Well— In the beginning that was part of the reason- But I grew to like it..” Shuichi shrugged. He heard the pins in the lock reset again and cursed under his breath, reinserting the tools.

“What would you be doing if you didn’t get that title??”

“Honestly? I have no idea..” He blinked, taking a moment to think about it. “At some point I thought to be an author or something, but I’m not really the most creative person. A part of me was kind of scared I’d be stuck in some average, boring office job or something.. I’m kind of glad all of that happened. Even if it wasn’t always pleasant.”

Kokichi hummed, he took the detective’s former hat off his own head, fumbling with it.

“What about you? I keep trying to understand how someone gets the title of “Ultimate Supreme Leader”... How’d they classify you?”

“Oh? Are you looking to hear the story of how I got my utterly unique and glorious title?”

Shuichi nodded quite eagerly. He was excited to find out something new about the thief, it was rare for him to talk about himself.

“Well feast your ears then!” Kokichi sat up straight, admiring the focused look on Shuichi’s face, impressed by the multitasking.  
“I was 12, and still lived in that orphanage I’ve told you about. Now, this place was in this moderately sized city. Not really big, but not small enough to be a town. Anyways, the elections for the city’s mayor was coming up, and I had the bright idea to try and troll the city hall by applying to be a candidate! Genius, I know, it was going to be one of my best pranks. So I made a slogan and posters and everything, me and some friends hung them all around the city. The prank was going great and all- Until people started taking my mayor-character seriously. People were legitimately interested in placing their votes on me, some twelve year-old who was just trying to pull a prank.”

“What?? So you’re telling me you got a whole city to vote twelve year-old you as mayor?! That’s insane—“ the detective widened his eyes, turning to look at him. “What happened in the end?”

“Well, obviously a twelve year-old can’t be voted mayor, and I was eventually found out and scolded.” Kokichi shrugged slightly. “A few days later, some guy came over to me, and he told me he was impressed with my leadership skills or something. He told me he’d seek me out again in the future. I kinda shrugged it off as him being some weirdo but uh, turns out he was some kind of scout for Hope’s Peak, and surely enough, when I was 16 I was invited to come to Hope’s Peak as the Ultimate Supreme Leader.”

Shuichi took a few moments to process the story. “Wow... That’s way more impressive than mine.”

Kokichi rolled his eyes, gently hitting the detective’s head with the cap. “Now now, don’t speak like that beloved~” he warned.

“So how exactly did that turn into you becoming a thief??”

“You sure are nosey today detective!”

Shuichi made a face, one that Kokichi didn’t find it in himself to resist saying no to.

“It’s simple, really. Hope’s Peak wanted me to be a politician or whatever. It’s boring, and the system’s corrupted beyond all meaning. So I trolled them and used my skill for the exact opposite of what they wanted~~! I wasn’t going to let some fancy school tell me what to do!”

Shuichi snorted, nodding slightly. “Well, spoken like a true leader I suppose.”

“Shuichi! We’re totally off topic and the door’s still locked!” Kokichi scolded him, motioning for him to get back to work. The detective looked towards the lock with a sigh, he had slipped up a few more times while Kokichi was telling his story.  
“You’re the one who started asking questions...” Shuichi pointed out as he got back to picking the lock.

_Click!_

The detective’s eyes widened slightly, a glint of hope shining through golden irises. He turned the door’s handle, and lo and behold, the lock gave way and the door opened.

“Good job my beloved pupil! You’re one step closer to becoming a criminal mastermind!” Kokichi smiled proudly, then closed the door once again, locking it. “Now do it again!”

Shuichi huffed with a small whine, clearly unhappy with the order. Either way, he obeyed him, and began to pick at the lock again. He was glad that the leader was doing everything he could to help, it gave him a warm feeling in his chest. It was his way of showing he cared.

Kokichi hummed a melodic tune. “You should consider joining D.I.C.E Shuichi! You’d make a really good criminal!”  
Shuichi rolled his eyes, though they stayed fixated on the lock.  
“Oh yeah?”

“Mhm! As a detective, you’d know exactly what needs to be covered up, and what evidence not to leave, and you know all the little tips and tricks the police uses to find criminals~ You should give it a try.”

Shuichi snorted, unsure if he was serious or not at this point. “No thanks, I’m good.. I don’t think my heart’ll be able to handle it...”

“Aww man. Well, let me know if you change your mind.”

The detective chuckled at the other male. “Alright, I’ll keep it in mind.” He joked. That... was a joke, right?

_Click!_

“Ah- I think I understand what I’m supposed to be doing..” Shuichi smiled a small smile at his handiwork, he was just a little bit proud.

“Good!” The thief closed the door once again. “But you’re gonna practice until you can do it in under a minute! Wouldn’t want someone catching Mister Detective here snooping around and lock picking in Hope’s Peak!”  
Though his annoyed sigh said otherwise, Shuichi was grateful for him doing everything he could to help. It’s not like he could argue with that logic.

The next forty or fifty minutes continued just like that, they had some mindless conversation while Shuichi worked on picking the door’s lock. Every time he succeeded, the thief would lock the door once more, and make him do it again until he felt it was satisfactory.  
After what felt like forever to Shuichi, he picked the lock once more. The last ten times had been a similar amount of time, and the same outcome. Though he felt that the picking was going well, he wondered when Kokichi would be satisfied. He yawned as he felt his fatigue creep over him, his eyelids were growing heavy and his pupils weren’t as focused as they should have been. He truly felt like he was going to pass out soon enough.

Upon noticing Shuichi’s fatigue, Kokichi smiled, clearly satisfied. “You can stop now! I think you’re prepared!”

“But I didn’t open this one yet—“ He looked at him with a tilted head, questioning why Kokichi would stop him in the middle.

“I know, but you’ve been doing really well for like the past twenty minutes! Anyways, I think it’s time for bed beloved~”

“....Kokichi, were you seriously making me do this for longer than I had to just to make me tired?”

“Well!” Kokichi stood up, stretching his arms over his head. “I couldn’t have you stay up all night before a case, could I?” He smiled mischievously, watching the taller male stand up and brush his knees.

“God damnit Kokichi...” He grumbled, walking over to his bed and sitting on the side. He took off his coat, leaving himself in just pants and a white button up that he rolled up to his elbows. He figured it was good enough, he was much too tired to get up and change now.

The thief gasped in the most exaggerated sense he could possibly muster. “Such profanity Shumai! How rude!”

Shuichi snorted a little, despite being tired out of his mind, he found the strength to still find Kokichi funny. He crawled under his covers, letting himself revel in the soft cushions.  
“Um, are you waiting for something?” The detective questioned the other male, who tilted his head with a smile. Shuichi patted the empty spot next to him, as if it were supposed to be obvious.

“Oh~?? Is Shuichi asking me to sleep over? Wow, you really are tired, aren’t you?” He smirked.

“W-Well— You said it was going to rain throughout the night anyways.. I don’t want you getting sick again..”  
There was that, and the fact that Shuichi enjoyed the feeling of having his arms around something. The craving started ever since the first day he slept over, since then, Shuichi just couldn’t bear to fall asleep with empty arms. Hugging pillows and whatnot worked for a while, but ultimately, he knew he just wanted to cradle Kokichi in his arms. He found it to be an entrancing feeling, and an embarrassing thought he wasn’t going to admit out loud, for the sake of his dignity.

“Well! I could never say no to such an offer, could I? Especially when you look so sweet all tired like that..”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, and held in the smile he had when Kokichi hopped beside him, instantly attaching himself to the detective. He wrapped his arms around his torso, and his legs latched onto him shortly after. Shuichi couldn’t help himself when he felt the slim figure wrap around him, he wrapped his own arms around the smaller male, and closed the small gap between them.  
“Jeez, you’re soooooooo touch starved Shuichi~”

“Look who’s talking..” Shuichi chuckled, enjoying the warmth the other emitted. One of his hands found their way into the thief’s locks, and once he began tracing his scalp, that quickly erased any snarky or mocking comment Kokichi had in mind.  
“Mmn......” He hummed, nuzzling closely into Shuichi’s chest. “I could get used to this..”

Though Shuichi didn’t dare to admit it out loud, so could he.

~🌸~

The detective’s arms were devastatingly empty when he awoke from his slumber. He squinted at the sunlight peaking through the blinds, it illuminated his desk and case board brilliantly. That goddamn photo stared at him, green eyes glinting in the sunlight, watching his every move. He felt like he was being judged for what he was going to do today.  
He let out a tired groan, even though that had been some of the best sleep he had ever gotten in his life, waking up was the worst of chores.

After a couple of minutes of laying motionless and enjoying that he was too drowsy to think about anything anxiety-inducing, Shuichi eventually found the strength to get up.  
He made his way to the door, curious as to where Kokichi had run off to. Upon jiggling the handle, he found that the door was locked, and the key was not in it’s keyhole.  
Shuichi looked around the room, spotting the lock-picking kit from yesterday. He sighed, of course Kokichi would test him at 8 in the morning. He didn’t know what he expected.

After grabbing the kit and pulling out the tools, the detective found himself on his knees, picking the lock of his own bedroom door early in the morning.  
It took two minutes and some fumbling, but he managed to get it open, much to his pleasure. He stood back up, realizing that there was a pleasant, food-y aroma in the air. Now his curiosity was really piqued.

He made his way towards the kitchen, and the sight he saw was surprising indeed.

“Good morning beloved~~!” Kokichi waved, energetic as ever. He wore a black apron that was clearly too big on him over his clothes, and was... cooking?

“Um— Morning??” Shuichi uttered out in reply, clearly dumbfounded by the sight.

“Good to know you haven’t forgotten what I taught you yesterday!” Kokichi smiled, clearly proud of himself.  
“Yeah—“ The detective walked over, sitting on the stool at the counter. His eyes made his way to the pan on the stove, it looked like an omelette and some steamed vegetables. “What’s all this?? You can cook?”

“Psh! Of course I can! I was trained by a famous chef who cooked cuisines for hundreds upon hundreds of royal families!” He huffed, setting his arms on his hips. Shuichi snorted, not being able to take him seriously with that oversized apron hanging over his knees.  
“Oh, okay.” Shuichi stated, making it clear he didn’t believe the lie.

“...Also I looked at a tutorial online.” The shorter male admitted, looking back towards the pan. Only then did Shuichi realized his purple locks were tied back in a short ponytail, something about that made his heart race just a little faster.

“Order up!” Shuichi’s thoughts were interrupted by the energetic exclamation, the plate of food that was presented in front of him actually looked quite appetizing, to his surprise. Kokichi held out a fork, which Shuichi graciously accepted as he attempted to avoid staring at the way his pale complexion was framed by his messy hair, and illuminated by the sunlight.  
The meal’s cook watched eagerly as the detective took a bite, clearly waiting for a compliment, or critique. He preferred the former.

“Not bad at all...” Shuichi smiled politely, looking up to the chef. Their eyes locked.

“But?” Kokichi questioned, seeing that Shuichi was holding something back.

“But uh, you didn’t season it.”

The thief stomped his foot slightly, pouting at the detective. “Well, clearly you’re salty enough as it is!” Shuichi couldn’t hold in the laugh that bubbled in his chest.  
“And laughing at my pain! What a sadist!” Kokichi threw his hand over his head dramatically, enjoying the sweet sound of Shuichi’s laughter. After his little performance, he slid over some salt and pepper towards him, letting him season the dish as he pleased.

“So what’s up with you lately?? Why are you so..... um, nice?”

Kokichi gasped, setting his hands on his hips. “Oh, am I not usually nice? What a low blow Shu!”

“N-No that’s not what I— um-“ He scratched the back of his head, trying to find another way to phrase it. “You’re just- Especially generous today? And yesterday- and you were pretty talkative about topics you usually don’t risk talking about... I was just wondering if something happened?”

Kokichi clearly looked confused at the question posed at him. “Aw, is Shuichi worried about little ol’ me cause I decided to be a little extra productive? That’s some weird reasoning.”

“Well um.... I kind of, had this theory that you indulge in something new or become more careless or even productive when you’re upset- Like, to distract yourself... And you hate being bored so—“

Kokichi snorted at his reasoning, paying no mind to the nervous cold sweat that broke out on the back of his neck. He could easily blame it on the sweater he wore.  
“Where’s your evidence on that strange theory of yours?”

“Oh, well, today. And there was that one time you tried a new kind of heist, the one where you tried a more stealthy approach and climbed through the vents, even though the whole point of your heists is being flashy. When I confronted you then you seemed a little out of it and upset, you joked around a little too much.. And there was that other one where you tried to make one of the other D.I.C.E members do the stealing while you distracted me, you seemed to change up the plan at the last second.. You were pretty snappy that day, you shouted at him for not doing it right- Or the one where you tried to steal that painting way too carelessly and fell down the stairs and laughed it off even though you were clearly in pain...?”

How could he possibly remember all this? Kokichi though to himself. He had to do something before Shuichi proved his point. Sometimes the detective’s skills scared him a little.

“All that’s crazy talk! So what if I wanted to try something a little new and maybe be a bit careless? It’s all for the sake of not being boring!” He interrupted the detective’s ramble. “That doesn’t mean I was upset. I have no time to be upset~!”

“Yeah, but every time you started doing something like that you were acting differently.” Shuichi pointed out. Kokichi was not a fan of being put in the spotlight at that moment.  
“If you’re trying to distract yourself from something, maybe you could try talking about it instead...?

“I really don’t remember how this conversation shifted to the topic of myself! Isn’t crazy how off-topic we can go??” The thief laughed half-heartedly.  
Shuichi frowned. “You’re doing it again...” He mumbled. He really did dislike that anytime he tried to point out anything remotely relating to Kokichi’s feelings, he would brush it off like it was nothing.

“Shumaiii! You can’t be distracted by something like this! You have a case today, a top secret one at that!”

He didn’t disagree, but....

“Now now, finish up your food and go refresh yourself! I’ll make you coffee!” Kokichi interrupted his thoughts yet again.

“We’re going to talk about this later.....” Shuichi mumbled, silently chewing on his food. The thief simply hummed a tune as he heated up some water for the coffee.  
An uneasy silence wavered throughout the apartment.

The silence was somewhat broken by the sound of Shuichi’s plate clinking against the bottom of the sink. He looked at Kokichi for a moment, he simply smiled at him.  
“Um.... I’m going to shower, alright?”

“Mhm!” Kokichi held up a thumbs up, grabbing a sponge to presumably clean the dishes. Shuichi only sighed in response, making his way to the bedroom, which the bathroom was conveniently connected to.

He turned on the shower, letting the water take a moment to heat up. As steam filled the bathroom, he found himself staring at himself in the mirror. Was he even mentally prepared for today? He had made the decision so quickly, that he hadn’t taken the time to think about the consequences. Maybe it was better that way, he was anxious enough as it is. Now he was going to worry about Kokichi for the rest of the day too.

He huffed, stripping himself of his clothing and getting under the shower head, enjoying the mesmerizing feeling of hot water running down his body. He wished that the running water could wash away his worries along with everything else.

Why was Kokichi upset? Had he done something wrong? Was it something else that had nothing to do with him? Did something happen with D.I.C.E or someone else? Was he just under the weather for no particular reason?  
This really would be so much easier if Kokichi would just talk to him. He sighed, bothered by the other’s lack of expression. He understood better than anyone that expressing one’s emotions and personal thoughts invoked the worst feelings and anxiety ever, but sometimes it just had to be done.

He grumbled a few incoherent words before letting the boiling water diminish him of his anxieties.

After refreshing himself and drying off with a towel, Shuichi could only stare at the Hope’s Peak uniform that was neatly laid upon his bed. It had been more than a year since the last time he donned the outfit, and now he was going to wear it once more, for a case that was more or less illegal. He was basically trespassing, wasn’t he?  
With a shaky sigh, he pulled on the brown pants, accompanied by a black leather belt which he gracefully slid into the belt loops and buckled up. Next came a plain white button up, and a navy blue vest that satisfyingly matched Shuichi’s hair color. He made sure fo tuck them into his pants, as he did with most of his outfits. The final part of the uniform was the iconic brown jacket, with Hope’s Peak’s logo on the breast pocket. Shuichi generally left it open.

He stepped in front of the mirror, and swore he may as well have stepped into a time machine too. If someone compared him to himself from a year or more ago, they’d have trouble telling the difference. Really the only thing that was missing was his hat.  
He had requested that Kokichi bring his hat, it was mostly for the purpose of covering his face, but there was also a sense of security that came with that hat. Gripping it in his hands, he almost didn’t want to put it on his head, like he was afraid that he wasn’t going to regain the courage to take it off when he was done with the job.

Brushing the thought away, the detective gingerly set the hat on his head. The star pinned to the side glistened softly in the sunlight that poured into his bedroom. He decided that if he weren’t to remove the hat by the end of the day, he’d have Kokichi steal it back. Though it wasn’t always pleasant, sometimes he just needed that push.

He decided he was ready, and grabbed a shoulder bag similar to the one he used to take to Hope’s Peak way back when. He threw in some things he may or may not have needed. The lock-picking kit, obviously, a notebook and pen, a pocket knife he usually took as a precaution on riskier cases, and a few other mindless miscellaneous items that could have been useful.  
The detective walked out of the bedroom, his nose instantly recognizing the smell of coffee. Following the scent to the kitchen, he saw the thief perched on one of the stools. He held a cup of tea to his lips, and next to him sat a cup of black coffee, clearly for Shuichi.

“Ah, thanks..” The detective nodded, gently lifting the brew to his lips. The drink’s concentrated bitterness hit him like a truck, just the way he liked it.

Kokichi whistled, eyes roaming the detective’s getup. “Look at you, a scrawny emo schoolboy!”

Shuichi rolled his eyes at the comment. “Is it convincing though?”

“Very much so!”

“Good.....” He breathed out, taking another long sip of coffee, satisfied with the way the heat and bitterness coated his tongue.  
As the two sat in silence, sipping their drinks, the silence was broken by a roll of thunder from outside, indicating inevitable rain. Shuichi grumbled something under his breath, exiting the room for a moment and returning shortly after with a plain black umbrella in his hands. He took a final swig of coffee before hastily setting the mug in the sink.

“I should go- I need to be there soon...”

Kokichi nodded, his violet eyes stayed fixated on Shuichi.  
“Um... Do me a favor....” Shuichi began, the thief seemed intrigued. “Could you stay here for today? At least until I return-?”

Kokichi snorted at the request. “Aww, if you wanted me to stay sooooo badly you could just say so~!”

“Th-That’s not what I— Look- I mean I’m a bit worried about you, that’s all- I just want you to stay here and keep yourself busy, I don’t want you doing anything stupid or going out in that storm..”

“Says the one who’s illegally sneaking into an elite school in said storm.”

“Kokichi.”

“Okayyyyyyyyy! No need to get so serious my love! I’ll stay for as looong as you’d like~”

“Good....” Shuichi breathed out a sigh of relief. He gripped onto the sling of the bag that hung to his side with clear anxiety in his eyes as he walked towards the door. His other hand gripped the umbrella. Kokichi followed him to the door, stopping short of the doorway. Shuichi stood on the other side of the now open door, taking one last look at the thief.  
“Um... See you later, I guess....?”

“Mhm! You’ll do great, beloved~ Don’t die!”

Shuichi nodded with a nervous smile, though he hesitated for a moment, he bent over for a brief moment to plant a light kiss on the thief’s head. And god, at that moment Kokichi just wanted to beg Shuichi to stay, he wanted to admit he was upset about something and make the detective cuddle and kiss him during that rainy morning until all his worries faded into nothing.  
But he said nothing, and smiled instead, watching his beloved walk down the stairs with a pained pang in his chest.

~🌸~

Shuichi really did wish that the sound of the rain on his umbrella was loud enough to drown out his anxiety. But no matter how windy it got or how loud the claps of thunder rang, that anxious feeling bubbling in his chest was there to stay.

It was cold, and the ebony umbrella that concealed him wasn’t doing a whole lot to keep him dry, thanks to the wind, but he found that the umbrella made it much easier to conceal his face. All he had to do was wait.  
Every morning, class 77 would all walk into the school together as one big group. Shuichi found it cute. His plan was to trail along behind them to blend in. As long as the security guard saw his Hope’s Peak’s uniform, the plan should have gone smoothly.

Upon spotting the 77th class nearing the gate, Shuichi lowered the umbrella over his head, intently watching their movements. He saw a few faces that he recognized, but despite the small urge to greet them tugging the back of his mind, he fought it off.  
As the group passed the detective, he slowly and inconspicuously trailed behind them, close enough to look like he was just a natural part of their class to any passerby, but not enough for someone from the class to pay mind to his presence.

The security guard - he was the same one from two weeks back - gave a small nod, a greeting, to the group of students, and opened the gate for the class. They entered, the detective silently trailing along, grateful for the rain that poured on the myriad of umbrellas that entered the school grounds. It made it hard to distinguish students' faces.  
Once he was in, he breathed out a quiet sigh of relief, stage one of the plan was complete. The 77th class proceeded to walk towards their building, Shuichi made sure to quietly slip away from them, making his way to the Reserve Course Dormitories.

It was a good hour to come. Morning classes were already underway, meaning the dormitories were meant to be mostly, if not completely empty.  
Shuichi checked the text conversation he had had with Chiaki yesterday, he had asked her a couple of basic questions to inconspicuously slip in the “Where was his dorm?” key question. On the first floor, room 11, she had answered.

Surely enough, Shuichi stood in front of the chosen dorm. There was nothing special about the door, though the handle did have a light coat of dust over it, signifying a while had passed since someone entered. It fit in with the story.

The detective quickly got to work, dropping to his knees and setting his damp umbrella aside. He had to work fast, despite no one being in the vicinity, he wasn’t going to risk getting caught. Pulling out his tools, he began picking the door’s lock, glad it was but a normal door and nothing fancy. Seemed the Reserve Course didn’t get anything too high maintenance. As he picked, he’d get startled at any little sound, terrified of being caught. He tried his best to push through the fear, figuring that the faster he got the door open the better. When he heard the sweet sound of that click of ecstasy, he smiled a little, pushing the door open. Hastily grabbing his bag and umbrella, he slipped into the dorm room.

The empty fucking dorm room.

He wasn’t sure why that upset him as much as it did. He had said it himself, it was more than likely that Hope’s Peak cleaned out the dorm after Hajime Hinata was expelled(?). Still. It felt like he experienced all that anxiety regarding the job for nothing, he was taking a huge risk for no reason.  
He tried not to get ahead of himself just yet, perhaps there were still answers. The room still had a bed, desk, and closet. Maybe there was something in between the cracks, or under the mattress.  
He lifted the mattress up slightly. Nothing. He opened the drawers of the desk, and found only dust bunnies and pencil shavings. He checked under the desk, even moved it to look behind it, it was common for people to tape things they wanted to hide in those areas, but there was nothing. The closet followed suit, every drawer being empty, and yes, he even moved it aside to check behind it, and found nothing. He desperately searched every nook and cranny he could think of, and found damn all.

“Fuck.” He hissed under his breath, taking a seat on the bed. What was he to do now? This was the only lead he had left. Did he miss something? Was there something he overlooked? Was this case really impossible or was he simply a shitty detective?

The detective sat in a sulking silence, but ultimately gathered himself. He could panic and whine about it somewhere else, it was better to leave school grounds as soon as possible.  
Grabbing his things, he swiftly exited the room, closing the door behind him. He heard the door’s lock reset, and breathed out in relief - there was no evidence he was there, besides the lack of dust on the doorknob, but it was likely to be overlooked, if ever looked at at all.  
He began making his way towards the exit, walking slowly so to not make any noise. The detective jumped slightly, hearing a small sound. At first he calmed himself, thinking it was simply the wind making a tree branch bump against the window, but he was quickly proved wrong when the sounds of voices talking engulfed his ears.

He froze in place, realizing the sounds were getting closer to him. The first thing his mind decided to do was classify the voices - they were both male, and aged. Probably late fifties, meaning they were most likely teachers. What were teachers even doing in the student dormitories? Shuichi quickly snapped back into the present, remembering that that didn’t matter at the moment. He had to get out of sight, and fast, estimating he had less than half a minute to do so. His eyes darted to the dorm he had just exited - that was no good, the door was locked once more and he had no time to pick the lock, hell, even if he did have the time his sweaty hands would probably keep him from succeeding. The only thing he could do was go down the hall, after making sure that the window was actually locked, to his dismay. He swiftly ran down the hallway, abruptly stopping when he saw a stairway to his left. It would have to do, he was running out of time. The stairs led downwards, to a door that was presumably the basement. Strangely enough, it didn’t have a door handle. Shuichi tried pushing or sliding, but the door did not give way. He huffed silently, pressing his front side against the door, trying to be as invisible as possible. As long as the two men didn’t have to go to the basement, and simply walked down the hallway, Shuichi would be fine.  
He kept his heavy breathing as quiet as he could, his cheek was cold, being pressed up the door. Huh, it was made out of.... metal. Now that was odd. His eyes made their way downwards, looking for a way to open the door. There was a strange, seemingly out of place rectangle on the wall next to the door. It was easy to miss if you didn’t look carefully. But boy did that get the detective going, he reached for the presumed mechanism, his fingertips barely grazing the area—

“Hey!” A voice that was certainly not his own called out.

Shuichi’s head turned so fast he was surprised he didn’t get whiplash. That surprise was nothing compared to the one he got next, he didn’t even manage to see the faces of the two figures that stood on the top of the stairwell, the only thing in his field of vision was something blurry hurling right towards his head.  
And boy, did it strike him good.

He practically felt his brain bump into the side of his skull, and was more than surprised that his hat managed to stay on his head. His thoughts were suddenly all over the place due to the impact, and all he heard was a piercing ringing in his ears. The one prominent and clear thought he could make out at the moment was _“LEAVE”._  
So he did the first thing he could possibly muster to think of. He opened up his umbrella and held it in front of him, running up the stairs. The umbrella had two uses, one was concealing his identity from the two men, and two was to use it as a battering ram. Shuichi had no idea if the collision with the two figures caused them to fall over, but it was enough to let the detective get through them and run out of the building. In the back of his mind, he mentally praised and thanked Kaito and Maki for dragging him to the gym so many times in the past.

He was outside in the pouring rain now, and found that his umbrella was no longer in his hand. Through the ringing in his ears, he heard a voice, it sounded like the men were calling for help, which was a horrible sign for the detective. So he did the only thing he could think of, he ran.

He couldn’t run out of the school now, not with that security guard there and alert. Someone desperately running out of the school through the rain would definitely be a red flag. So the next best thing was to hide somewhere, anywhere really.

As he ran, Shuichi found that he was suddenly hit with sensory overload. His running footsteps splashing through puddles was much too loud in his ringing ears, and he practically felt his lungs desperately take in any available oxygen they could get. He couldn’t focus on where he was going, there were too many colors. Too many shapes. Too many raindrops falling on his shoulders and hat - he felt like he noticed every drop that landed on him. The sounds were too much, he wanted silence. He wanted to be home. He wanted to go back to Kokichi, and wrap his trembling arms around him with all the desperation that engulfed his head.

His mind managed to make out what looked like a building, so naturally, he ran right into it, desperate to escape the freezing rain. He took a moment to stop running upon entering, but the first thing his spinning vision landed on was what looked like the back of a person, so his legs forced him up the building’s stairs, aching to get away from anyone and everyone.  
The detective ran into the first door his eyes could see, sliding it shut behind him. The sound of the door slamming was more prominent, the ringing in his ears finally began fading away.

“Detective???”

Shuichi, once again almost giving himself whiplash, turned towards the rest of the room. His heart might as well have stopped beating upon seeing all 16 eyes of the 77th class staring at him with confusion and concern.  
The one who had spoken was Fuyuhiko, who had recognized the navy shine and style of the detective’s hair from behind.

“S-Sh-Shit—“ Shuichi muttered under his breath. There went his cover, his plan had officially blown up in his face.

“Wh-What happened to your head?!” Kazuichi exclaimed, pointing towards the detective with eyes laced with concern and horror.

“M-My what? My head—?” Shuichi questioned, his hand rose to his face, grazing his fingers over the right side of his head. Bringing his hand down to his vision, his fingertips were dripping with blood. He had thought that the dampness of his head and face was caused by the pouring rain, but lo and behold, there was blood running down the entirety of the right side of his face, already managing to stain his jacket and shirt.  
“O-Oh.” Was all he had to say for himself. He leaned against the door, still breathing heavily from all the running. One hand kept him balanced on his trembling legs, while the other gripped onto his head. The pain finally began kicking in.

“Do something you useless filthy pig!” A high-pitched voice rang.  
“Y-Yes of course-!” Another voice answered. Shuichi heard someone walk up to him, ah, it was the Ultimate Nurse he had interviewed once in the past.  
“U-Um— Let me take a look-“

Shuichi moved his hand away from the wound, taking a shaky seat on a desk when the nurse motioned for him to do so. She removed his hat, and examined his head with focused, ashy purple eyes.  
“It’s not that deep, it wasn’t something sharp, was it?”

“N-No.... I don’t know what it was I.. someone threw something at my head,,,”

“C-Could someone bring a first aid kit from the nurses office-?” She turned towards the rest of the class.  
“Certainly!” Komaeda almost automatically answered, happy to be of use as he exited the classroom.  
“I need a cloth- and does someone have a water bottle-?”

Fuyuhiko fetched a cloth from the room’s cabinet, and grabbed a water bottle from a desk, not really caring who it belonged to. He handed the items to the nurse. She nodded gratefully, dampening the cloth. With careful and trained hands, she brought it up to the wound, gently pressing it. Shuichi hissed at the pressure, she mumbled an apology, he tried focusing on the water droplets from the cloth that slid down his cheek rather than the pain.

“I’m going to ask you some basic questions, okay? Answer them to your knowledge..” Shuichi simply nodded slowly.

“What’s your name?”

“Shuichi Saihara...”

“Where are you right now?”

“In Hope’s Peak Academy.”

“What’s today’s date?”

Shuichi scrunched his nose at that one. His horrid sleep schedule generally made dates mush in his mind.  
“Um.. It’s May... uh- I’m not too good with dates—“ He laughed half-heartedly at his own stupidity.

“Okay, what’s the capital of Japan?”

“Tokyo...”

The nurse nodded. “I’m just evaluating your memory and thinking skills, to make sure that part of your brain hasn’t suffered any severe trauma.”

Shuichi nodded, his eyes looking towards the door when Komaeda returned with a first aid kit.  
The nurse pulled out a cream, which Shuichi had no strength to look at. He trusted that the Ultimate Nurse knew what she was doing. As she was doing her best to care for the wound, Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi made their way to the detective, leaning against the wall next to the desk he sat upon.

“So?? Explanation? What are you doing here again and why are you bleeding buckets?” Fuyuhiko cocked an eyebrow, the rest of his class seemed as curious as he was.

Shuichi sighed, wincing a little at the nurse’s movements. “It was _supposed_ to be an undercover job..” He mumbled, motioning towards the uniform he wore. “It kind of went south. Someone saw me sneaking around and decided that giving me a concussion was their best option.” The detective flatly stated, clearly annoyed with his failure to execute the mission. He let out a shaky breath, looking towards Chiaki Nanami, golden eyes locking with pink ones. He fought the urge to look away.  
“S-Sorry- I really tried to find him— I’ll keep trying I just- I didn’t think it would end up like this-“

She simply nodded quietly, her gentle gaze laced with concern for the detective.  
“It’s okay. You’re trying really hard..”

He shrugged, looking down at his shoes, eyes watching the droplets of water that ran down the black leather. He didn’t feel like he was doing good enough. He felt as though there was something staring him straight in the eye, and he was looking everywhere but the thing that had an answer for him. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a bandage being pressed on top the wound, safely concealing the injury.

“Like you mentioned earlier, you have a mild concussion.. You need to take it easy for the next seven to ten days, and change the bandages every day. The wound shouldn’t bleed excessively anymore, so if it does you should go see your doctor... and if you start having severe symptoms, like bad nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness, blood draining from the ears or nose, memory problems, or anything else that’s a cause for concern, please go see your doctor for that.....”

Shuichi nodded, surprised his fuzzy mind managed to grasped all of that.  
“Right... Um, thank you.... seriously..” He smiled softly at the nurse, grateful for the help. He slowly stood up, ensuring his legs still worked after all that running.  
“I should get out of here...... Uh, if you guys could be so kind and pretend you never saw me-“

Fuyuhiko was the first to nod, quickly followed by Kazuichi and Nagito.  
“‘Course not, we’re not dumb.”

“Anything to ensure the success of an Ultimate, we’re all one step closer to hope by—“

“Komaeda, not now.” Fuyuhiko interrupted the impending speech with the roll of the eyes. Shuichi chuckled a little, and was happy to see the rest of the class agreed to keep quiet.

“Thank you guys, you’re really kind.. See you..” He smiled, before quickly retreating out the classroom.  
He stopped at a bathroom to wash the drying blood off of his face, there was no way he was going to walk out of the school covered in his own blood. He attempted to scrub the stained jacket and shirt, but to no avail. They were ruined, he huffed. Instead, he took off the jacket and flipped it inside out, draping it over his shoulder to conceal the blood on the white button up. It would have to do, he just had to exit the school and get home.

He leaned on the bathroom wall, ordering a cab to take him from the school. He was in no mood to take a bus with dozens of people there to judge the dark circles under his eyes, or the bandages on his head, or the way his hands were shaking from the anxiety and cold.

After walking through the rain - now without an umbrella - and apologizing to the rather grumpy cab driver for how wet he was, he just stared at the passing buildings and lights as they drove in silence - which Shuichi enjoyed. He loathed it when drivers indulged in small talk, it always made him anxious and fidgety, he never knew what to say.  
He thanked the driver and apologized once again, hoping that the generous tip made up for the damp car seat.

Shuichi couldn’t express how happy he was to be back. As he slowly traversed the apartment building’s stairs, he wondered what Kokichi was up to, and what he’d think when he heard that the detective had failed to find anything.

Upon arriving at the door, he almost hesitated knocking the door to his very own apartment, but forced himself to do so anyways, desperately craving a shower and sleep.  
He had absolutely no idea what came over him all of a sudden, while he waited for the door to open, he felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was the pain of his head, the burden of failure, the relief of being home, or all three that contributed to the sudden waterworks, but he had no time to wipe away the tears before the door opened.

“Back so soon beloved~~?” The thief sang with a wide smile on his face, it instantly dropped upon seeing his beloved standing in front of him, blood stained clothes, bandaged head, trembling figure, uneven hat upon wet and messy hair, and tears welling at the corners of his tired eyes.

“Hey, beloved..” The detective mumbled with a soft smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aka Fish makes Shuichi suffer pt. 1263716232164912, all for the sake of the fluff I shall bring next chapter >:")


	13. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Who made you cry? I’ll send all ten thousand of my minions after them.”_
> 
> Shuichi and Kokichi are both stressed out for their own reasons. They take a day to relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is mostly fluff and some comfort. they are cute. and happy. (for now)

“Hey, beloved..” The detective mumbled with a soft smile.  
Despite the grin, the tears he was too tired to blink away stained his pale cheeks anyways. He wasn’t sure why he had suddenly started to cry, but once the waterworks began, he found that he couldn’t stop them from falling. His smile slowly fell, along with the teardrops, and his watery eyes looked towards his feet, vision blurred by tears. He wanted to disappear at that moment, embarrassed by his sudden distressing display. Feeling the shame rise to his head, the detective brought his hands up to his face, covering his damp, rain, tear and snot-covered visage.

He felt slim arms wrap around his torso, it was obviously Kokichi, he unnecessarily deduced. The sudden contact was overwhelmingly comforting, and it made Shuichi crave his touch so much more.  
Kokichi had wrapped his arms around him on various occasions in the past, if anything, he was constantly clinging onto Shuichi whenever he was in his immediate vicinity. But it never quite felt like this, all those other times were simply clinging and cuddling, this, on the other hand, was a hug. They had held hands, kissed, cuddled, made out, hell, slept together, but Shuichi realized they had never hugged quite like this before. He couldn’t remember the last time someone embraced him when he was crying.

He peaked out the spaces he formed between his fingers, looking down at Kokichi, who rested his chin on Shuichi’s torso, and stared up at his beloved’s face, much to Shuichi’s embarrassment.  
“Shumai?” The thief questioned in a small, perturbed voice.

“You’re gonna get wet......” Was the first thing the detective blurted out with a weak, cracked voice, motioning to his soaked clothing.  
“Like I care.” The shorter male rolled his eyes, pulling Shuichi into the apartment and closing the door. His grip grew stronger. “Who made you cry? I’ll send all ten thousand of my minions after them.”

“No it’s.. it’s nothing.... I don’t know why I’m...” He trailed off, using the back of his sleeve to wipe his runny nose, not really caring about the state of the uniform anymore - it was ruined by the blood anyways. “I-I think I’m just a bit overwhelmed—“ He added, relieved that his tears were drying. Despite Kokichi seeming genuinely concerned, it didn’t change the fact that Shuichi just had an embarrassing small meltdown in front of him - it was something he preferred not to do in front of others.

“The whole thing kind of went south.” Shuichi stated, getting his breathing in order. He smiled a small smile down at Kokichi, enjoying the feeling of his arms around him. A part of him was tempted to hug back, but he didn’t want to engulf him in his freezing body at the moment.

“I can see that. Tell me about it after you change, though. You’re going to turn into an icicle Shumai!” To Shuichi’s dismay, he pulled away and adopted his playful tone once again, then motioned for him to go to the bedroom. He sighed, but complied with the request, he set his bag aside and made his way to the bathroom, not without one last look at Kokichi. He watched with wide and concerned eyes, but a charming, yet also reassuring smile.

As he showered for the second time that day, he found that he had no strength to even think. It was probably better that way, he thought as he stared at the water - tinted red by the missed bloodspots he washed off himself - spiral down the drain.  
After drying himself off and throwing on a comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants, not really planning on going anywhere else that day, Shuichi exited the bathroom and made his way to the living room. He was greeted by the sight of Kokichi patiently waiting for him on the couch, equipped with a soft blanket he was sure to attack him with once Shuichi was close enough. He also seemed to have changed clothes, he was clad with one of the detective’s sweaters once again, which was adorably big on his slim figure.

“Hm.” Shuichi hummed with a small smile. “I did feel like I’ve been washing an awful lot of sweaters lately..” he joked, walking over to the couch.

“One of life’s great mysteries!” The thief giggled playfully, immediately pouncing on Shuichi when he sat on the couch. He rested his head on the detective’s chest, and let his legs get tangled with Shuichi’s once he laid across the couch.  
Despite how much he’s done with the thief, and the amount of physical contact he constantly had with him, a small blush still creeped up his neck. He hated to admit how much he enjoyed his closeness, and constantly stopped himself from mindlessly holding his hand, or pulling him closer to him when they stood next to each other. He left it to Kokichi to initiate those things, to keep the little pride that he had left. He knew the thief would laugh at him for being clingy, even though he was sure that Kokichi’s initial clinginess had rubbed off on him.

“Who did that to you??” Kokichi suddenly asked, in a very much out-of-character, serious voice. He was staring up at the bandages on Shuichi’s head, and remembered the alarming amount of blood he had seen on his clothes earlier. He hoped he wouldn’t get the “I just fell” bullshit that Shuichi had told him last time he asked about that past head injury. He was sure that the detective was hiding something in regards to that injury, and swore he’d kill whoever laid a finger on his beloved (not really though, violence wasn’t his thing).

Shuichi sighed, knowing that he’d have to talk about what happened today eventually. If he were honest, he was content with just laying there and cuddling the thief to his heart’s content. He kept his arms from wrapping around him, not wanting to seem desperate (god he was though, he had no idea he was this embarrassingly touch starved until Kokichi pointed it out). His mind tried to calculate how he could slowly sneak his arms around him without looking too helpless.

“I’ll start from the beginning..” He replied, the thief pulled the blanket over them both, resting his chin on his torso so he could look up at the detective with wide, curious eyes. Shuichi swore he felt his heart melt, he was too fucking cute sometimes. Where had all these thoughts come from? Shuichi had indeed noticed himself being a lot more clingy lately, and found himself gawking lovingly at the thief, calling him pretty or cute in his mind much more than he usually did. He temporarily brushed the thought away, remembering he had a story to tell. He’d revisit the thought later.

Shuichi told him about how he got there, how he entered the school, going to the dormitories and finding the devastatingly empty dorm room. His lips curled into a frown when he began speaking about the second part of the job, when everything had really begun going badly. He told him about hearing those people near him, and hiding next to the basement, mentioning the strange door and the fact he attempted to investigate what he theorized was a way to open it. That was when one of those men threw god knew what at his head. Kokichi tilted his head with an angry glare, clearly meant for the culprit. Shuichi continued, ensuring him that they didn’t see his face, and saying that he had gotten help from the 77th class, he motioned towards the bandages.  
All while Shuichi spoke, Kokichi traced his finger around his torso, drawing invisible little stars and hearts on his chest. The detective focused on what he felt was drawn on him while he equally focused on speaking. He smiled a little every time he felt a heart, and tilted his head slightly when Kokichi wrote words that he didn’t focus enough on to make out. He felt an I and two O’s at two different points, and it seemed long enough to be a short sentence. He realized he was overthinking it when Kokichi waved his hand over his face.

“Hellooooooo? Did your concussion make your brain stop working??”

“Huh—? Ah, no..... I’m alright, sorry...” He smiled awkwardly, letting his head sink into a cushion.

“So then you came back home?”

“That’s right.. And had my little breakdown..” He groaned, covering his face with his hands. Kokichi giggled, grabbing hold of both of his wrists to pull his hands away from his face.  
“Now now beloved~ It’s okay to cry in front of me!”

Shuichi rolled his eyes slightly, his face flushed a bit when he realized how close they were to each other. “You say that, but if it were you you’d be mortified.”

“Except it couldn’t be! I lost my tear ducts when I was but a child, you see-“

“Uh huh. I’d be more prone to believe you if I hadn’t seen your crocodile tears several times in the past.” The detective smiled cheekily.

“Psh, a trick of the eye I tell you!” Kokichi waved his hand dismissively. He internally cringed at the thought of actually crying in front of Shuichi, and quickly brushed the thought away, because Kokichi Ouma does not cry.

“Let’s watch something!” He changed the subject, holding up the television’s remote. The detective nodded a bit, he supposed he could use some mindless television to distract him from his headache right now.  
“Whatcha in the mood for?” The thief questioned, turning on the TV and opening up Netflix.

“Something dumb.... I’m too tired to think, so comedy or some stupid cheesy romance or something...” he replied. He knew that if he watched some kind of mystery drama now, he’d overthink the plot to an over-exaggerated extent like he often did. It had become a bad habit.  
Kokichi nodded, delighted by the choice. He actually very much enjoyed rom-coms, thinking they were funny in the dumbest way, he’d always watch them to make fun of how unrealistic they were.  
He scrolled through the options presented in front of him, after a few quiet minutes of flipping through the choices, he found something that could be pleasant.

“No.” Shuichi flatly stated upon seeing the title. The thief frowned in confusion.  
“But it’s perfect! The plot is utterly stupid and the ratings are sky high!”

“I just.... don’t feel like it.. Come on, there are plenty of other options..”

“Shumai, just because you have a concussion doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with lying to me!” Kokichi crossed his arms, shaking his head in disapproval. Shuichi shrugged with a small frown.  
“It was worth a shot..”

“Sooo? What’s the real reason?”

Shuichi sat in silence for a few moments, then leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. “Just.... my mom... she’s an actress and.. she’s in it. That’s all.”

“Uh oh, I smell mommy issues!”

Shuichi couldn’t help but laugh a little at that, but shook his head. “N-No- I wouldn’t call it that... it’s not like some tragic story or something- My parents just don’t live here, that’s all...” He smiled reassuringly. “I just don’t want to see her face..”

Kokichi rolled his eyes, everything about the situation clearly radiated “mommy issues”, but he respected his wishes and continued scrolling through movies, seeing that the topic wasn’t something Shuichi liked to think about, and he didn’t want to strain that concussion of his any more.  
They eventually settled for another cheesy rom-com, something with a really basic storyline. Girl-meets-guy in high school type of basic.

As the movie started, Kokichi resorted back to laying on Shuichi’s chest, pulling the blanket back over them both. Shuichi felt his purple locks tickle his chin slightly, and wondered how he was even going to focus on the movie with the thief so damn close to him. He decided this was a good time to sneak his arms around him, unaware of the fact that Kokichi was hyperaware of exactly what he was doing, and smirked slightly at the detective’s attempted stealth.  
They didn’t focus on the movie all that much, even though they did comment on a few clichés, and had a short discussion of which were the best kind of romance tropes. Kokichi insisted that the “protagonist announcing their love right before their love interest leaves” was the best kind, and added that the “stopping the wedding at the altar” was a close second. Shuichi was unsurprised that he’d like the more dramatic ones. He personally preferred something more simple, such as the “kissing in the rain” trope, to which Kokichi joked that they should go outside and do for themselves. Although the thought wasn’t unappealing, Shuichi just blushed and rolled his eyes to the statement.

The film continued, the sounds of the onscreen characters talking occasionally intercepted by Kokichi snickering at how dumb the plot was, and offering different things the characters should have done.

“I mean, seriously, why the hell would she even go to the party when she damn well knows he’s going to be there?!”

“Um, I’m pretty sure that’s the whole point. It’s her indirect way of showing she wants to talk to him about what happened-“ Shuichi smiled a little, staring at Kokichi’s features which were pleasantly illuminated by the television’s light.  
“Well, yeah, but honestly, it screams desperate! What do you think’s gonna happen next?” The thief’s eyes turned to Shuichi, who quickly attempted to mask his staring. Kokichi would often question what he thought would happen next, usually pretty impressed by how accurate his predictions were.

“U-Uh- Well, it’s a cliché high school party, which means they’ll probably get drunk and confront each other. It’ll either end up with some huge fight, or them making out and sleeping together.” Shuichi paused in thought for a moment. “Or both. In either order, really..”

The thief giggled, turning back to the screen. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and tried to ignore it, most definitely not in the mood to answer it. It continued, they weren’t text messages, someone was calling him. He chose to ignore the person’s existence, getting a good idea of who it was.

“Uh, are you gonna get that-?? I’ll pause the movie if you w—“

“I’m not answering.” Kokichi replied defiantly, his tone growing uncharacteristically dark.

Shuichi watched his face for a few moments, the grumpy look slowly faded into a neutral look that the detective couldn’t quite read, but there was definitely something up.  
“Does this have something to do with why you’ve been upset lately?” He questioned.

“It’s not really the best time for an interrogation, beloved detective.” Kokichi quickly shut down his attempts to investigate him, leaving Shuichi to worry in silence as his eyes looked back at the screen, watching the protagonist and her love interest drunkenly throw insults at each other. His hand slowly made it’s way to Kokichi’s, and hesitantly entwined it’s fingers around the other’s. He gave his hand a small, reassuring squeeze. Kokichi was a person who expressed through action more than anything, so he tried to send him the message that he was there for him. He smiled a little when he felt the leader squeeze back.

Up until the credits rolled, Shuichi didn’t necessarily focus on the movie very much. His mind decided to bombard him with different theories and speculations on why Kokichi was upset, and what he could do to help. The thief on the other hand, had his eyes glued to the screen, reveling in the clichés and over dramatic characterization to distract himself from his problems. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure when Shuichi’s hand had found it’s way into his, but enjoyed the feeling. It brought a sense of comfort, and he made sure to keep them entwined together for the rest of the film.

“Neeheeheeh!” His iconic laugh rang over the music that played with the credits. “That was fun! Let’s watch another!”

Shuichi hesitantly pulled his hand away from Kokichi’s, and rose it up to him. “I’m choosing this time.” He stated, obviously waiting for the remote to be placed in his hand.

The leader gasped in an overly-dramatic manner, throwing his hand over his head. “Ordering around the Supreme Leader of Evil?! How disrespectful!” He replied, despite setting the remote in his hand anyways.

Shuichi smiled, he sat up slightly to get a better view of the television screen. Kokichi leaned the back of his head on his chest, he seemed to decide to take a glance at some messages he got on his phone. The detective couldn’t help his curiosity, seeing the thief scroll through a text conversation on his phone from the corner of his careful eye. There could have been an answer to the reason he was upset.  
It wasn’t necessarily the right thing to do, but Shuichi turned his head slightly to take but a small peak at his phone screen. His sight was greeted by a long block of text, which from his experience, wasn’t usually a good sign. Kokichi seemed to be reading through it intently. The detective couldn’t focus hard enough to actually read the long message, but saw the thief reply with a short, dismissive “whatever”.

He hesitated, but decided to speak up.  
“Are they... mad at you for something?...”

Kokichi turned off his phone, looking towards the detective. “Hmm? Looking at my messages, are we now Shumai? How rude!”

“I-I’m sorry I just— I was concerned-“ He frowned, slumping down into the couch’s cushions. “What happened?” He asked again, though not really expecting a direct answer.  
Kokichi sat up slightly, turning his body around to face Shuichi, wrapping his legs around his waist in the process seeing nowhere else they could go.  
“Aw. You’re so kind Shumai.” He smiled sweetly, setting a hand on his cheek, though still avoiding the question. Shuichi huffed, avoiding eye contact. He knew he wasn’t going to get the answer he wanted, so really, he didn’t know why he was so disappointed.

“The truth is, they’re actually sending me a script for me to approve because—“

Shuichi rolled his eyes, not in the mood to listen to another lie. “It’s better if you say nothing rather than lie.”

Kokichi pouted in return, rubbing his thumb across the detective’s cheek gently. “Don’t be mad at meee~~” He prepared his fake crocodile tears with an exaggerated frown.  
“I’m not mad-“ Shuichi quickly replied, looking back at him, accidentally locking eyes. He found he couldn’t look away from his wide violet irises and dilated pupils. He briefly remembered reading that one cause of dilated pupils was attraction, to which he blushed slightly. “I just— I’m just worried about you.....” He mumbled. “It just doesn’t seem fair that I talk to you about my life and not get to know anything about yours.”

Kokichi blinked, his face returning to that damned neutral expression that the detective still couldn’t quite read. There was a silence for a minute, as if the thief were looking for an answer.  
“They-“ He began, almost with a nervous tone that he quickly masked. “They’re just being annoying, that’s all.”

“Who’s being annoying..?” The detective gently asked, using a calm tone to ensure him he was eager to listen.

“D.I.C.E.” He huffed, crossing his arms. “They’re acting like children. Can’t handle me being gone for a day or whatever.”

Shuichi frowned, letting his eyes fall downwards. It was more or less his fault that Kokichi was away from them for so long, wasn’t it?  
“You know you don’t have to stay here, right...? If you being away causes problems then-“

“I want to be here though. I’m always cooped up in that stupid base, constantly planning new heists and whatever, it’s boring!” He threw his arms in the air. “Besides, you’re hurt.” He mumbled at the end, letting his arms fall back down, one of them making its way into Shuichi’s locks. “If I’m not here, Shumai’s gonna work himself to the death~~!” He sang in his usual playful tone.

“I suppose you’re not wrong, but...... I could always get someone else to stay with me—“

Kokichi shook his head, letting his hand travel along the detective’s navy locks, his hair was silky in the best way. “Mmnope! Besides, I don’t want to see them right now anyways.”

“Sooo, you’re taking care of me and simultaneously using me to hide away from D.I.C.E?” Shuichi tilted his head slightly, basking in the feeling of thief’s fingers running through his hair.  
“More or less!” He smiled mischievously, letting his hand fall onto Shuichi’s shoulder. The detective let out an audible whine at the loss of the entrancing sensation, then blushed furiously upon realizing he had done that out loud. He quickly turned his head away before he could see the smug smirk on Kokichi’s face.

“A-Anyways— Thanks for telling me-“ He turned back to the thief with a soft smile. “I’m proud of you.. really.”

Kokichi waved his hand dismissively. “It was nothing~ I’ll say whatever Shumai wants to know~!” He burrowed his face into the detective’s chest, while he wanted to cling to him, he was also doing it to conceal what felt like a blush creeping onto his cheeks. But that couldn’t be, because Kokichi Ouma doesn’t blush.

He didn’t necessarily lie about what he told Shuichi, but he supposed that he left a bit out.  
D.I.C.E was angry at him because of how much time he spent with the detective, and how enamored with him he was. In the very beginning, when Kokichi had really begun to fall for the detective, his comrades were convinced it was a phase, or more of a joke than anything. So one could imagine their annoyance when he began to get cornered by the detective on purpose, just to have a chat with him, or tease him some more. He insisted that it was all in good fun, despite the increased risk of getting caught, which he promised them wouldn’t happen. They scolded him when he had almost gotten his mask torn off, and while the detective was passed out in their backup lair, they consistently told him it was a horrible idea and an enormous risk keeping him there, and they were right, considering the police arrived shortly after. But what Shuichi had done for him that day really sealed the deal, he was heads over heels for him and how not-boring and unpredictable he could be.

When Kokichi told D.I.C.E about the fact he had revealed his identity to the detective, it caused a shit storm in the base. He got into a huge argument about his actions with the rest, who more or less teamed up against their leader. So he left for a while, and that led him here.

D.I.C.E didn’t understand, he thought. They didn’t see the detective the way he did. They didn’t spend time with him, let alone have a conversation with him. Who were they to tell him what to do? He was the Supreme Leader of Evil, he’d do whatever the hell he wanted.  
He didn’t say any of this to Shuichi, of course, because he knew he’d start unnecessarily blaming himself, when really it was Kokichi’s fault.

“Kokichi??” The detective’s voice was prominent and concerned, louder than his rambling thoughts. He was beginning to get a little worried, since Kokichi had been keeping his head buried in his chest in silence for the past couple of minutes.

“Mmyessss beloved~~?” He rose his head, and leaned on his chin to look up at him. No matter what expression the detective wore, be it concerned or confused, Kokichi always thought he was pretty.  
“Just checking on you... and I think I found something to watch, what do you think?”  
As he spoke, Kokichi raised his hand to his face, and gently brushed his bangs out of his eyes. He never liked him covering his face as often as he did.  
“Seems good to me..” He mumbled, focusing on getting every strand of hair out of the way.

“Y-You didn’t even look—“

“I don’t need to, I know my beloved has wonderful taste~!” He smiled, taking a look at the detective’s exposed face, satisfied with his handiwork.  
“Wh-What are you doing....?”

“Looking at your face. You need to stop hiding it with that emo haircut of yours. I’ll cut your hair! I was trained by the number one hairstylist in all of Japan to-“

Shuichi snorted, gently taking Kokichi’s hand and moving it away from his hair. “In your dreams. You’re asking way too much of me.”

“Awwwww. Well, at least pin it to the side sometimes. You have such a pretty face.” He smirked at the crimson hue enveloping the detective’s cheeks.  
“..W-We’ll see—-“ He stammered, turning his head towards the television screen to avoid that sly look Kokichi gave him.

“Wellllll? What’re you waiting soooo long for Shumai? Let’s watch!”

Shuichi rolled his eyes as he pressed play, focusing on making his blush die down faster. One of these days he was going to get Kokichi back.  
The opening credits began, the movie was from the mid-80s, when some movies would take forever to really begin. This was one of those movies.

“..Um, this opening’s a little long... Want me to make some tea while we wait?” The detective offered, to which Kokichi nodded eagerly.  
“Mhm! Three sugars pretty please!”

“One.”

“Two?”

“One and a half, that’s final.” The detective flatly ordered. The thief huffed in exasperation, but agreed.

There was a short silence, followed by Shuichi clearing his throat.  
“Um.... Can you get off me??”

“Okay okay!” Kokichi giggled, falling backwards onto the couch and untangling his legs from around the detective’s waist. Shuichi rolled his eyes, but smiled as he stood to go to the kitchen.  
Despite laying there for a few moments, Kokichi quickly decided to stand and follow the other male, who had begun to heat up some water and grabbed two mugs.

Kokichi watched his rather graceful movements with intent and focused eyes, listening to the music coming from the television’s speakers, which he thought was rather pleasant - he nodded his head to the tune.  
Shuichi stared at the kettle, waiting for the water to boil. Tea wasn’t normally his first choice, even though he enjoyed it, but he figured that drinking his usual bitter coffee wouldn’t do his headache justice. As he listened to the sound of the kettle working to heat up the water, he felt a hand gently take his arm. He turned to look at Kokichi, who looked up at him with a painfully innocent smile.

“Shumai~~” He sang the nickname to the tune of the music. “Let’s dance!”

Shuichi snorted a little, tilting his head as the color red returned to his cheeks once more. “D-Dance-? I uh, don’t really know how to...”

Kokichi laughed a little, taking Shuichi’s hands into his own and setting them on his waist. “Me neither.” He shrugged a little, setting his hands on the detective’s shoulders with a small struggle, considering he was significantly shorter than him. “Just roll with it!” The thief exclaimed with an assured tone, which calmed Shuichi a little.  
The two swayed slightly to the music, which was pretty calm and slow paced. Their bodies moved in time with the soft guitar and piano, and there was a tranquil silence between them.

Kokichi looked up at his beloved, who watched him with those damned piercing golden eyes of his. The shorter male attempted to stand on his toes to wrap his arms around the detective’s neck, but ultimately failed, to which Shuichi chuckled.  
“Aw, keep trying..”

Kokichi puffed out his cheeks and pouted, he looked like a child who was refused a sweet.  
“Being smug, are we now?” He questioned, causing Shuichi’s smile to widen. “How utterly offensive! Laughing at the fact I can’t reach y—“ His sentence was interrupted by his own yelp he let out when Shuichi lifted him up, setting his arms underneath his legs so he could sit in his grip comfortably. Normally, Kokichi never allowed anyone pick him up because it made him feel too vulnerable, he didn’t like it when people prodded at his height and used it to their advantage, but he often made special exceptions for Shuichi, who managed to have such a safe and secure hold on him.

“That works!” He hummed, wrapping his arms around Shuichi’s neck as he had desired to do. Their faces were mere inches away from each other, so Kokichi decided to press his forehead against the other’s, craving that physical closeness. He did so wearily, ensuring that he didn’t irritate Shuichi’s wound any more than it had to be.  
“How’s your head?”

“A little bit better.. Headache’s still there though..” The detective mumbled, not really sure where to look when Kokichi’s face was so close to his own.  
The male in his arms gave him a small pitying pout, setting a light kiss on his forehead, which was exposed due to him messing with his hair earlier. He didn’t even need to look at Shuichi to know his face was beet red.

“Beloved.....” Kokichi mumbled, almost whispered, watching Shuichi closing a gap between their faces. When their lips were but a few centimeters apart, there was a silence, they both felt their breath on each other’s faces. They weren’t sure who even initiated the inevitable kiss, but the feeling of each other’s lips locking was soft and one of the most loving they had ever had.

And for a moment, all was forgotten. Failed cases, induced concussions, petty arguments, and the sound of the kettle whistling.


	14. Dressed to the IXs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _IX - The number nine in Roman Numerals._   
>  _Dressed to the nines - "To the nines" is an English idiom meaning "to perfection" or "to the highest degree" or to dress "buoyantly and high class"._
> 
> If Shuichi had a middle name, it'd be _Stressed_. He finds it's a bad day to be in that mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hgsfhj this chapter was originally supposed to be way longer, but I realized it made for very strange pacing, so I decided to move some plans to next chapter so that y'all wouldn't have to wait so long QvQ
> 
> _Small warnings for this chapter - Mentions of murder and disturbing ways to do so._

Shuichi wasn’t someone who watched the news often. It was often depressing or anxiety-inducing, and encouraged that pessimistic side of him to make itself known. So he was surprised to see himself stop at that channel while he mindlessly scrolled through the stations to find some background ambience. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt as though something inside of him encouraged him to stop at the channel.  
The detective tried not to dwell on the thought, he knew he’d spiral into an endless abyss of anxiety, and he didn’t have the time for that. He had recently gotten a new case to assist the police with, something they called the “Roman Numeral Case”.

Now, this case wasn’t new to Shuichi, in fact, he and many other people had heard of this case a number of times. It was a case relating to a well-known serial killer.

They were relentless, whoever they were. They struck all across Japan, but only in the countryside, smart enough to avoid places with quantities of technology, because they seemed to think they were too good to be duped by security systems and cameras that brought the downfall of many-a-culprits. The killer took out their victims in a vast variety of ways, and boy, did they get creative. There was the usual stabbing, suffocation, poisoning, hanging... And then more unconventional options, such as having the victim eaten alive by exotic, illegally imported animals, a body bound tightly by bright red ropes, so tightly that it cut off all blood circulation to the victim’s limbs, even cruxifixction. The list went on, it may be the most horrifying case file Shuichi will ever read.

What gave away the fact it was the same individual? That was where the case name came in.  
At every crime seen, the culprit left a number in Roman Numerals. They numbered, no, counted their victims. Why was the five star question. They made sure to do it oh-so gracefully too, the number was often carved into the body, or on simpler days, written on the corpse with a golden marker. When the corpse was much too mangled for the usual marking, the killer would use that golden tinted marker to eccentrically mark the wall or floor next to the body, often using extravagant designs to make up for the fact they didn’t mark said body. To say the least, they put a lot of effort into their crimes.

He sighed as he leaned back in his chair, listening to the news talking about the weather for that week. It was to rain for most of the next few days. He mentally noted that fact, making sure to remember to take an umbrella when he went outside.

Technically, he was supposed to still be taking it easy. The concussion he had gotten a few days ago improved immensely with Kokichi’s help, but he wasn’t there to keep Shuichi’s workaholic nature in check today.

The detective was left to be stressed out of his mind without Kokichi to distract him. He had gotten this new case to begin looking through, he was still on standby for the Amami case (now as a Private Investigator, he was extremely eager to accompany a search party with some leaked information that he requested from Fuyuhiko way back when), and he still didn’t want to give up on Hajime Hinata’s case, thinking back to the strange metal door he had witnessed. There was no way he was returning to Hope’s Peak anytime soon after what had occurred there last time, though.  
Oh, and today was Kaito’s birthday party. Wasn’t just the detective’s luck to be stressed out of his mind on his best friend’s birthday?

He had planned the day like this: He was to go over the details of the Roman Numeral case, look through the information on the remaining Amami sisters Fuyuhiko had discreetly provided him with and hopefully plan out a search of his own, and in the late afternoon, he’d get ready for the party, meeting up with Kokichi on the way there. It was a solid plan, he thought.

The detective looked up at his case board, golden eyes immediately meeting with Hajime Hinata’s frozen stare. He made a face at the photo, finding his case to be the most infuriating. He was eager to see if the Roman Numeral Killer would take that place.  
Once he had seen the photo though, his mind wandered to that cold, out-of-place metal door at Hope’s Peak. Before he could start listing his abundance of questions, he swore that he had heard the news reporter on the television screen reference the school’s name.

“What??” Shuichi asked out loud as he looked towards the television, spotting the news reporter and a picture of Hope’s Peak in a box beside him. He practically scrambled towards the screen, desperately raising the volume with the remote he grabbed on the way.

_“Executives of Hope’s Peak reveal that there have been suspicions of trespassing in Hope’s Peak Academy. The identity of the trespasser remains a mystery, and the academy’s staff issued a warning on Monday morning, saying that those caught trespassing the school’s grounds will be faced with immense charges and punishment by jail time. One of the executives mentions—“_

Shuichi muted the television. He couldn’t listen anymore. His entire body was tense, and frozen with pure horror at the mess he had caused.  
They were onto him. Why didn’t they think he was a student from the school? What did he do wrong? Was he not convincing? Did someone notice him enter? Had he unknowingly left a vital clue at the scene? Had someone ratted him out?  
He shook his head at the thoughts, trying to convince himself that everything was alright.

It was fine. Everything was fine. They didn’t see his face. They don’t know it was him. The identity of the trespasser remains a mystery. That’s how it should be, that’s good. Everything’s good.

“Fuck..” He mumbled, slumping down to the floor and leaning his back on the edge of his couch. He rubbed his temples, wondering what kind of mess he had caused in Hope’s Peak. They’d probably interrogate every Main Course student, considering that was the uniform he wore. It could very much be the end for him. If anyone from the 77th class ratted him out, he was done for. All he could do now was put his trust in them.

After sitting there, engulfed in anxiety for a while, Shuichi decided to put his jittery anxious energy to use, and stood up, making his way to his desk. He may as well look through the Roman Numeral case file as a distraction, he thought.

He made himself coffee first, knowing that once he started working, he wouldn’t stop for a while. It would be a good distraction, at least. After brewing his drink and sitting at his desk (and setting an alarm so that he kept track of time as to not be late for Kaito’s birthday), he stared down at the case file, opening to the basic information.

_Sex - male (??)_  
_Age - unknown_  
_Date of Birth - unknown_  
_Place of Birth - unknown_  
_Appearance - unknown_

Shuichi groaned. It was another one of these infuriating files. He had a disdain for the word “unknown”, that word taunted him and his job’s purpose.  
He flipped to the next page, deciding to skim through the information they had on the killings.

53 victims in the span of 3 years.

_“Yikes.”_ Was the first word that came to Shuichi’s mind. Comparing to other serial killers he had heard of, he must’ve been skilled if he managed to claim so many lives in so little time.  
But what was his motivation?  
There were the four Ls that were often used to identify reasons of murder- Lust, Love, Loathing, and Loot. Any of these were possible, but Shuichi leaned towards Love or Lust, considering the fact that all the victims were females ranging from the ages of 16 to 21. There must have been a reason for that, it most definitely wasn’t an accident. He remembered hearing of a female killer who’d kill only men in the past, (he was pretty sure she was yet another famous serial killer who had a very specific set of rules) perhaps he’d find her case and compare the two later.  
What other reasons could there be? A psychological complex? Then again, it was much more likely for a sane person to commit such elaborate crimes. He kept the option open either way.

The detective looked towards another file on his desk, it contained all the information on the 53 victims. Perhaps there was something else overlooked that they all had in common besides their gender and ages, it could shed a whole lot of light on the motive.  
He pulled the victims’ files towards himself, golden eyes catching the sight of another file next to it. It had the word “Confidential” on it, in big, prominent red letters. He knew for a fact that that file contained photos.  
He’d look at them later, if he could even muster the courage to open the file to see mangled bodies and bloody, rotting corpses. He hated himself for the fact that this made him less anxious than other situations he had been in. Maybe he was some kind of sicko, as Kokichi would put it.

~🌺~

One, two, three cups of coffee later, Shuichi’s focused train of thought crumbled at the sound of his alarm going off. The sudden blaring noise startled him at the worst possible moment, causing his arm that just-so-happened to be holding a fourth, burning cup of coffee, to jolt momentarily. He tried to stop it midway, but alas, it was too late. He yelped when the hot liquid hit his (thankfully) clothed leg. Not only that, but a few drops landed on the Amami case file he was going over at that moment.

“Are you- kidding me-“ Shuichi ground the words through his teeth, quickly yet carefully setting the mug down. He swore that somehow, coffee would be the cause of his demise in one way or another. Turning off his alarm, he saw that the group chat he had with Kaito, Maki, and Kaede was absolutely bombarded with messages. There were also a couple of texts from Kokichi from a few minutes ago, and one from his Uncle.

For whatever reason, he found himself tapping on the conversation with Kokichi. Ironically enough, it would probably be the most stress-free out of the rest.

**Kokichi: yoooooooooooooo**

**Kokichi: ik your sense of fashion is emo middle-aged midlife crisis but help me choooose**

**Kokichi: pink or white??**

**Kokichi: [IMG_187]**

**Kokichi: [IMG_189]**

Shuichi looked at the two images he had sent, it seemed Kokichi wanted his help in choosing a shirt to wear for the party. He wasn’t exactly an expert in the subject of fashion - if anything, he was very far from it - so he wondered why Kokichi would even bother asking him when he was a hundred times more fashion forward than he was.  
He shrugged to himself, but answered.

**You: Pink.**

**Kokichi is typing....**

**Kokichi: good choice!! Thamk youuuuu**

**Kokichi: wbu?**

**You: What about me?**

**Kokichi: watchu wearing todayyy**

Shuichi blinked, looking towards his closet. He hadn’t even thought about it before now. His general “style” - if he could even call it that - was pretty clean cut, button up shirts, casual work suits and pinstriped attire, usually ranging from black to navy blue. So yes, his style was indeed emo-middle-aged-midlife-crisis.

**You: I don’t know..**

**Kokichi: whatttttt???!?!**

**Kokichi: shumaiiii come on I want you to look hawttt**

**Kokichi: how am i gonna show you off to all ur little buddies??**

**You: Clothing wasn’t exactly the first thing on my mind.. Besides, I don’t really have many options anyways.**

**Kokichi: k hold on**

**You: ???**

**You: For what?**

A minute of silence.

**You: Kokichi, what are you doing?**

More silence. Shuichi took the time to change his now coffee-stained pants (which he lazily, and rather harshly threw into the washing machine), and scrolled through the messages from the group chat. His friends were chatting about the party, about the people that would be there and games they’d play. He was quick to tap the little notification that appeared on the top of the screen when he saw Kokichi’s name.

**Kokichi: Okkkk I’ve got a few choice outfits for you**

**Kokichi: I’ll be there in 20 mins**

**Kokichi: see ya**

**You: What??? Hold on Kokichi I didn’t even agree to this??**

**Kokichi: im cominggggggg**

Shuichi sighed a prolonged sigh. There wasn’t much he could do about it at this point. Despite the fact he had more or less completed the things he wanted to do that day, he could have still done more. There was always more. A lot of the time he found Kokichi’s unpredictability pretty fun, but he was in a snappy mood after being interrupted from a very focused investigation, and he absolutely loathed it when someone put a halt to his train of thought when he felt he was doing well. The news announcement earlier that day didn’t do well to improve his mood either.  
Shuichi wasn’t an angry person in a whole, but he found himself getting into these short-fused moods whenever an investigation went badly or was interrupted. With everything that was dumped on him today, he felt the need to bang his head against a wall, or something. That thought gave him a small flashback to his... “outburst” in the casino, he desperately pushed the thought away and reached for his desk drawer, pulling out a cigarette instead. He figured that option was a little better than whatever other thoughts he was having.

The detective walked over to his open window, cigarette and lighter in hand. As he lit the cigarette and watched the smoke gracefully fall out of his mouth, he tried to calm down a bit. Maybe he was just having an off-day. Maybe Kokichi’s presence would cheer him up. Maybe the 77th class would be oh-so kind and not rat him out and potentially ruin his career and entire life.  
“Be a Private Investigator I said.... it’ll be fine, I said..” He mentally cursed himself, and continued to indulge in the nicotine.

After putting out the cigarette and doing his best to fan the smell of smoke out of his apartment (despite being an occasional smoker, he didn’t like the smell that came with it), Shuichi decided to organize his desk to distract himself. His mind wandered to the thought of the party. He didn’t want to be so moody and short-fused on Kaito’s birthday, it felt... insulting to the astronaut-in-training’s optimistic personality. There were supposed to be drinks at the party, perhaps Shuichi could use them to loosen up a bit.

_Knock knock._

Shuichi sighed as he made his way to the door, he looked through the eyehole despite knowing who to expect. He prayed that Kokichi wouldn’t piss him off anymore today as he opened the door after seeing familiar purple locks.

“Hello beloved~~!" His voice instantly chirped as he let himself into the apartment.

“Hey.” The detective replied almost flatly, closing the door behind him a little too hard. He winced slightly at the way the bang echoed throughout the quiet apartment building.  
When he looked at Kokichi, the first thing he noticed was his outfit, it was a hard one to miss. He was clad with the pink, oversized shirt that he had showed Shuichi earlier via text message, and over the shirt was a pair of white, short overalls that hugged his thighs nicely. One of the straps hung under his arm, revealing more of the pink shirt, which had the words “Queen of Hearts” written on it. His legs were once again enwrapped in fishnets, white ones this time, and the black platforms he wore added about two extra inches to his height.

“I knew you’d like it!” The thief smirked, watching Shuichi gawk at him.  
“I-It’s- nice I guess—“ He quickly replied, eyes looking towards his face. He had monochrome pink eyeshadow, featuring various shades of the color, and dotted with white makeup, making for what Shuichi thought was a cute design. As he approached him, he noticed his lips shine in the light, seemed he was wearing lip gloss, as usual. There was something else about his face, something that made it.. shine more.

“Is that... Body glitter??” Shuichi snorted, suddenly forgetting why he was even in a bad mood in the first place.

“Laugh all you want, you’re just jealous!” Kokichi pouted, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “Waahh!! I can’t believe my beloved detective would make fun of me like that!!” He sobbed, though carefully enough as to not ruin his makeup.

Shuichi chuckled, rolling his eyes with a smile. “I’m just kidding... You look nice.” He stated, watching the crocodile tears disappear as fast as they initially appeared.

“I know! But I made you smile.” He smirked, setting his hands on his hips. “Why the bad mood, my love?”

“Ah, you noticed that....” He smiled a little nervously, not necessarily surprised that Kokichi could see right through him. “It’s work, mostly.. I was assigned to a new case to help the police with.. and I’m stressed about the other ones I have, it’s.... it’s complicated.......”

“My poor, poor Shumai! Let’s forget about all that for a little then! We have a party to crash tonight!” He exclaimed, holding up a bag that he had come in with. “And I’m here to make you look pretty!” He paused. “Well, prettier!” The thief made sure to emphasize the ER at the end, he was satisfied with the blush that overtook Shuichi’s face.

“R...Right.....” The detective mumbled, fiddling with one of the buttons of his shirt.

“Well, I did bring a couple of choice options, buttttt, I already know exactly what you should wear! I’m just that good.” Kokichi smiled widely as he fed into his own ego, pulling out a smaller bag from the larger one he entered with. He held it out to Shuichi.  
“Here!” He ushered him, watching intently as the detective took hold of the bag. “Go on now!” Kokichi motioned towards the bathroom. “Have a shower first though - you reek of coffee.” _and smoke_. He decided not to add that last part. He didn’t need to either, Shuichi seemed to figure it out for himself when he saw the way Kokichi scrunched up his nose. He nodded apologetically and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Once he heard the shower running, Kokichi walked over to the detective’s desk, humming as he took a look at the case board, curious to see what had Shuichi so distressed. He noticed a couple of the Amami sisters’ photos were taken down, and assumed the six left on the board were the ones that were yet to be found. The picture of Hajime Hinata remained, there was a sticky note next to it that said “Metal Door?????” He hummed in curiosity.  
He proceeded to look down at the desk, wide violet eyes scanning in focus. There were various scattered files that were unfamiliar to Kokichi, they must’ve been from the new case, he thought. He looked at the open notebook that sat next to a file, and scanned Shuichi’s notes. He gave up trying to understand the tired, half-assed and rushed handwriting, so decided to look through Shuichi’s desk drawers instead.

Files, paper, pens—  
“Gotcha.” Kokichi muttered triumphantly, pulling out the pack of cigarettes that were neatly and discreetly tucked in the corner of the drawer. He didn’t approve of Shuichi using such a thing to do harm to his health (look who was talking, the sugar addict himself), so he quickly shoved the packet of cigarettes into the pocket of his overalls. He’d sneakily throw it out when they were outside. Not the best idea, perhaps, but it was all out of concern for his beloved. He’d take whatever fit Shuichi threw if he found out.

When he decided he had done enough snooping, he kicked off his shoes and sat on the bed with his legs crossed, impatiently waiting for the detective. His head perked up upon hearing the bathroom door open.

“I don’t know about this Kokichi.. I feel dumb..”

Kokichi rolled his eyes, seeing Shuichi was hiding behind the bathroom door. “Come on!! Let me see!”

Shuichi huffed, but stepped out of the bathroom in the outfit Kokichi had hand-picked out for him. The thief forced himself to keep a neutral face as he took a look at him, extremely impressed with what he chose.  
The outfit he had picked out was a bright yellow turtleneck (something to drown out all the dark colors Shuichi always wore) that had the word “CAUTION” in big bold letters on it. It referenced police tape, which Kokichi found ironically amusing. The pants were black, high waisted skinny jeans that had chains on the sides (hey, if Shuichi was going to be emo, then Kokichi was going to bring out the full emo in him). To really complete and bring together the look, the final touch was that sleek black trench coat. Not only was it stylish, but it kept that “mysterious detective” aesthetic that Shuichi had about him, and Kokichi wanted to bring it out, feeling that he succeeded.

He whistled loudly, nodding in approval. “Well well well, who’s that sexy detective?” He smirked, Shuichi covered his face in embarrassment at the comment and attire.  
“I feel dumb-“ He repeated into his hand, the statement came out muffled.

“Mm, can’t hear you. Distracted by this total hunk.”

Shuichi sighed exasperatedly into his palms, peeking at Kokichi through his fingers. He was watching him intently, waiting to see if he had the balls to deflect another compliment. The detective was left to accept his fate, his hands fell to his side.  
“We’re not done yet, of course!” The thief chirped, digging back into his bag. He pulled out a few thin boxes, and did a “come hither” motion with his finger. The detective obeyed, and sat next to him on the bed. That’s when he realized the boxes Kokichi had pulled out were makeup palettes.

“A-Are you sure—?” Shuichi eyed one of the now open palettes with hesitation in his eyes.  
“Not another word from you, mister detective!” Kokichi set a finger on his lip momentarily. He decided he came off a little too harsh, so he added another statement. “Trust me. You’ll look good.”

“...Okay...” Shuichi mumbled in reply, watching the other as he skillfully began to apply moisturizer, clearly he had done this before. Shuichi shivered a little at how cold the substance was on his face. Kokichi was sure to be cautious of the fresh bandages on Shuichi's head (he wasn't sure how the detective possibly insisted on working and going to a party with a concussion - had it been Kokichi, he'd use it as an excuse to do nothing all day). The room grew silent as Kokichi began working on putting color-corrector to help conceal the dark circles under the detective’s tired eyes. He wondered if he should say something, but decided to not bother him while he went through the trouble of working on his face. After the color-corrector was successfully applied, Kokichi began on the foundation. All Shuichi could do was watch his focused face. It was another one of those rare moments where he was engulfed in a single task in silence, and Shuichi couldn’t help but find it adorable. He zoned out for a little while, eyes staying glued to the other male’s face.

“Whatcha gawking at?” Kokichi teased, tilting his head upwards slightly.

“A-Ah— Sorry I didn’t mean to s—“

“Neeheeheeh! I’m just kidding! Stare all you want. It’ll make you fall in love with me faster.”

The foundation on his face wasn’t enough to hide his blush. Either way, Shuichi let himself study the thief’s face with great interest, taking in every detail.  
His head shape was round, almost childlike, and his smooth cheeks added to the effect, as though he were a sculpture from Ancient Greece - perfectly modeled and unblemished. Shuichi admired how untouched and clear Kokichi’s face was, it made him self-conscious about his own face, consistently tired and dry, with ugly dark circles under his eyes from a lifetime of sleepless nights. Either way, he couldn’t deny that the thief was pretty.

“Close your eyes please.” His voice spoke softly, Shuichi did as he was told, pretty surprised at the use of “please”. He smiled a little smugly, happy that Kokichi was too focused to notice.  
He felt what he assumed to be eyeshadow being applied to his eyelids, and wondered what color Kokichi had chosen. Though he was hesitant when it came to this kind of makeup in a whole, he did trust Kokichi to do it well. He was an artist after all, and had his own unique talent when it came to color and design. Shuichi wondered if he would connect to the Ultimate Artist, Angie Yonaga, who he was pretty sure was going to be present at the party. Kaito had invited a good portion of their old class.

A couple more minutes passed in silence, when Kokichi was satisfied with the eyeshadow, he moved on to liquid eyeliner, which he thought would really bring the look together and draw attention to Shuichi’s perplexing golden eyes and long lashes. His movements were careful and precise, and completed the look with some pretty dramatic, but not too over-the-top wings.  
“Almost done love! You can open your eyes.” He stated, digging into his makeup bag to find the last item he needed. When he looked back at his face, he was greeted by the detective watching him intently and curiously. He found it adorable.  
“Part your lips.” The leader ordered, to which Shuichi complied. He gently smeared his infamous cherry lip gloss on his lips, and smirked a little while doing so. It was his indirect way of making sure a part of him was with Shuichi, be it the taste of his lips to make him reminisce their past kisses.

“Purse.” He ordered once more, motioning towards the detective’s lips. Shuichi did as he was told, and gently pursed his lips, savoring the small amount of cherry flavoring he tasted.

“Okay, and one final thing!” Kokichi chirped excitedly, pulling something that Shuichi didn’t catch sight of out of his pocket. He carefully brushed his bangs to the side, and pinned down the navy locks so that his face was exposed.  
“Perfect~” Kokichi sang, sitting back to admire his work. He was proud of what he did, and Shuichi could see that in his smile.

The detective stood up, curious to see what he had done.  
“I swear if this ends up being clown makeup or something...”

Kokichi put a finger up to his chin in thought. “Damn it, that’s a good idea!” He huffed, puffing his cheeks. He made sure to keep that in mind for a future prank. “Thank you for the inspiration though! I’ll make sure to inform my next victim that that was your idea.”

Shuichi snorted a little, and turned around to look at himself in the mirror. His eyes widened at the person that stared back at him.  
He was surprised to see that despite Kokichi constantly complaining about how he wore dark colors, the eyeshadow he had chosen was black, that faded into a reddish-brown, giving it an ombré effect. The winged eyeliner look was also a nice touch, it gave his face that dramatic detail that he always associated with Kokichi. The eye makeup made his golden eyes look brighter somehow, and the lip gloss brought a nice shine to his lips. His eyes made their way to the pin that kept his bangs out of his face, it had a design of little cartoon dice on it.

“Real subtle..” He mumbled, looking towards Kokichi as he tapped on the pin.

The thief giggled, setting a slim finger over his lips. “A private joke between us~”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, but smiled after taking one last look at himself. “Thank you, though.. it’s really nice..” His grin shone in the light due to the lip gloss. “I still don’t know if I pull it off, but...”

“I’ll shut you up myself, mister!” Kokichi interrupted, motioning for him to come over. The detective chuckled, sitting back on the bed next to him, he fiddled with the end of his coat, finding the fabric to be a very nice quality, it looked expensive. He found himself smiling downwards as he ran his hand across the fabric.

“Aha! You liar, you do like it!” Kokichi suddenly exclaimed, watching the way he was intently eying the outfit. “Tsk Tsk Tsk Shumai, you know I hate liars..!” He pouted with glossy, watery eyes.

“I— Okay, fine, I guess I like the coat...” The detective admitted, glancing up at the other male, who rid himself of the crocodile tears.  
“I knew you’d like it. It’s super Sherlock-esque, isn’t it?”

Shuichi nodded, messing around with the sleeves slightly. “It’s really nice.. Why do you even have it? It doesn’t look like something you’d wear.”

“I just so happened to have already gotten it for you, actually! This was just the perfect occasion to bring it out!”

Shuichi’s eyes widened at the answer, that was definitely not one he expected. “You..... Got this especially for me-?” He tilted his head. “You.. You didn’t have to do that..” Though he sounded guilty, he wore a small smile on his face. He couldn’t help it- knowing Kokichi got a gift especially for him made his heart flutter.

“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do~” The leader huffed defiantly, crossing his arms in a dramatic manner. So what if he wanted to do something nice for him? Why was it such a big deal?

“Ah— We should start heading out.. the cab I ordered is going to arrive soon..” Shuichi mentioned, his eyes focused on the clock. He stood, and the other male followed suit. Shuichi took one last look in the mirror and sighed.  
“They’re gonna think I look so dumb..” He mumbled with a half-hearted chuckle, before he could add any other self-deprecating bullshit, Kokichi suddenly grabbed his shirt’s turtleneck, pulling the detective into a short kiss.

After pulling away and reveling in the taste of cherries, Kokichi shook his head briefly. “Shut up. Anyone who has something to say can answer to me and my 10,000 minions.”

The detective sighed and shook his head slightly, but he couldn’t help the small grin on his face. He forgot why he was so upset earlier that day, and wondered when Kokichi had developed the ability to cheer him up so quickly.  
“Okay..” He mumbled in replied, the word barely coming out as a whisper.

“Shall we?” Kokichi held out his arm to the detective. Shuichi was suddenly greeted by a flashback to their first date, where the thief had done the same thing, and Shuichi was too cautious (or simply in hefty denial) to accept the offer.  
He nodded, and locked his own arm around Kokichi’s.

"Let's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a party next chapter- how fun! I'm sure everything will go great ~ have a lovely day!


	15. Life of the Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“A little party never killed nobody”  
>  ~The Great Gatsby_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiiii! this update came later than i wanted hhh sorry, writers block was a butt (you can tell by the crappily writtrn ending-). anyways, enjoy the chapter!
> 
> **Chapter Warnings - Anxiety™️, self-loathing, mentions of sex and murder, panic attacks, and misuse of prescription medicine.**

Shuichi could hear his heart beat. He could feel every thump of the muscle as it pumped the blood through his body’s network of arteries and veins. He was hyperaware of every breath his lungs could muster, and felt as if he could feel individual skin cells die off and be replaced by new ones.  
There was a reason he avoided big social gatherings and events, his ability to be next to an abundance of people for prolonged periods of time seemed to only worsen as he grew older. He was constantly afraid of embarrassing himself and looking like the world’s biggest idiot when in the presence of so many pairs of eyes. Eyes that watched his every movement, saw his every flaw, ears that heard his every breath and judged every time he stuttered. Or so he thought.

“M-Maybe this was a bad idea—“ Shuichi blurted out to the shorter male next to him. They were practically in front of the house, and could see the shadows of people inside walking around through illuminated violet curtains.

“Oh Shumai, it’ll be fine!” Kokichi chirped, rocking on his heels as he admired the house’s architecture, it was sleek and modern, very westernized.

“No no, I-I’m serious- I’m gonna have a heart attack or something-“ The detective replied in all seriousness, his voice shook, almost pathetically, he thought.

“Ummm, think of it as exposure therapy!” The thief replied after snapping his fingers. “You’re facing a fear! Super cool!” He attempted to console him. Emotional support wasn’t his forte. “Besides, you already promised Space Man!”

“I-I know that I just— I suck at parties-“ He laughed coldly, it fell flat. “But I’d never forgive myself if I just left,,”

“Well, think of it like this then: If he’s reeeeaaaally your best friend or whatever, then he shouldn’t mind if you leave a lil’ early!” Kokichi grabbed Shuichi’s hand, growing a little concerned over how much it shook. “We’ll leave whenever you want. Your call!”

The detective let himself take a deep breath. The cool night air helped his nerves, if only a little.  
“Okay.” He managed to utter out without stammering. His voice came out embarrassingly weak and shaky nonetheless, but he tried to smile at Kokichi, who was doing his best to help. He sincerely appreciated it, the least he could do was make an effort for him, and for Kaito. This party was important to him. He’d go, chill, have a drink, and leave when it was too much. It’d all be fine. Maybe it’d be fun.

Those reassuring thoughts were thrown out the window when they stood right in front of the door. Kokichi held his hand firmly, a part of it was to console him, while the other part was to ensure he didn’t scramble off at the last second. When Shuichi heard footsteps coming towards the door after Kokichi rang the doorbell, he swore he was going to have some kind of aneurysm from how hard his heart was working.  
The door opened, and the two were greeted by the sight of the party’s host himself.  
“Shuichi!” Kaito exclaimed. The way his eyes lit up like the very stars he admired almost made coming there completely worth it.

The first thing Shuichi did was pull his hand away from Kokichi’s, much to his dismay. He gave his friend a small wave, but was inevitably pulled into a hug. Once again, it wasn’t as choking or firm as Kaito’s hugs were in the past, but Shuichi assumed he made the effort to make them more tolerable.  
“You look good! I like the hair!”

A shy smile tugged on the detective’s lips as he fiddled with one of the buttons of his trench coat. Before he could say anything, Kokichi did his part to interrupt.  
“You’re welcome! I was his personal stylist for a day.”

“Oh, Kokichi- You’re here too- Welcome, I guess??” The host eyed the thief with slight concern and suspicion in his eyes. Kokichi flashed him his best innocent, childlike smile. He raised his hands in the air, turning his body around as if to show him he was unarmed.  
“No weapons, I promise! Unless you wanna frisk me~!”

“No thanks, I’m good—“ Kaito quickly answered, stepping aside to give the two space to enter. He was clearly beginning to regret even inviting him. Shuichi rolled his eyes at Kokichi, and forced himself inside before he could have the chance to back out.

The first thing he heard upon stepping inside was an excited squeal. He was met with a hug that almost toppled him over. To ensure he wasn’t just rammed by a bull, he looked downwards, only to be greeted by Kaede, who looked up at him with an exhilarated expression.  
“Shuichi!! I’m so happy you came!” She exclaimed. Shuichi watched her glittery pink eyeshadow sparkle in the house’s lighting. Her pink-sequin top matched her makeup satisfyingly.  
“You look hot! I like the new look!” She added after pulling away and getting a good look at him.

“Ah.. Th-Thank you...” He mumbled, feeling like his fingers were going to crumble from how much he was fiddling with the end of his coat.

The detective waved at Maki, who walked over to the gang. Before even greeting him, she handed a bill to Kaede with an exasperated sigh.  
“Told you.” Kaede smirked, pocketing the money.

Shuichi blinked in a confused manner, but quickly deduced what was going on. “D-Did you guys bet on me—?”

“Maybe~” Kaede hummed, a soft smile playing her glossy lips. “Maki said she had a feeling you were gonna back out at the last second, and I assured her you wouldn’t!”

“So we bet on it.” The other female completed her story, rolling her eyes slightly. Though she looked unamused, anyone who knew her well enough could see that glint of amusement in her eyes. Speaking of said eyes, they found their way to the male that stood next to Shuichi.

“You brought the gremlin.” She flatly stated. It wasn’t a question, just a very exasperated declaration.

“Ah, I promised he’d behave, didn’t I..?” Shuichi replied, a nervous smile tugging at his lips.  
“Wahhh! She’s so mean to me Shumai! I think someone should keep an eye on Ms. Murder here rather than lil’ ol’ me~~” He set a slim finger over his lips, as if to prevent any evil omens from slipping off his tongue.

“Don’t be rude.” The detective huffed, shaking his head in disapproval. The other whined.

“Oh! Is he the one you told me about?” Kaede suddenly piped up, eying Kokichi intently with curious pink irises.  
“Ah, yeah..”

Before Shuichi could add anything else, the pianist was already grabbing Kokichi’s hand and shaking it politely. “Hi there! Kaede Akamatsu! I’ve heard a bit about you, what’s your name??”

The shorter male looked down at their hands, catching a glimpse of her nail polish. The intricate design was extremely familiar to him. After taking a quick look at her in a whole, something clicked in his head, and his smirk turned into an exaggerated pout.  
“First Space Man, now Piano Freak.. How could you possibly not recognize the name, the enigma that is Kokichi Ouma?!” Crocodile tears welled up in his eyes, and the first thing that came to Shuichi’s mind was an “oh boy, here we go.” His mind wandered to the case he was working on earlier that morning, seemingly trying to unconsciously distract him from the drama that was about to ensue.

“Ah— I’m sorry!” Kaede squeaked, pulling her hand away. “Did I hurt you? Did I offend you in any way?”

“Don’t believe him, he’s a lying little rat.” Maki quickly spoke up before Kaede was too far gone.

“I’m so offended..! Ms. Murder trying to turn others against me? The kind and wholesome Piano Freak won’t possibly fall for her biased opinion...”

“You know me?” Kaede tilted her head upon hearing the fairly common nickname. She squinted her eyes, seemingly trying to remember if she had ever seen Kokichi’s face anywhere.

“Why of course, I’ve been a fan, stalking you for as long as I can remember! Remembering every Mozart and Debussy number just to impress you!”

“Wh-What—? Really??” Kaede sounded more surprised than creeped out, if anything. She was excited to hear he was a fan, and she did love talking about Mozart and Debussy’s works.....

“Just kidding! I know you cause I’m the one who put that whoopee cushion on your piano seat on that day of the school concert!”

Her heart dropped into her stomach upon remembering that embarrassing memory, blood pooled at her cheeks at the mere thought of it.  
“That was you—?”

“Just kidding. Do you really think I’m that mean?! I’m so offended...” He looked downwards at his own nails, eying them much too intently. He wondered if he should have painted them to really complete his look.

“I... Uh, okay—? I’m sorry-“ The pianist quickly replied, clearly not craving bad blood with him.  
“Christ, he’s just messing with you. Let’s just go.” Maki huffed, butting her way into the conversation.

“Jeez, Maki Roll. At least let me redeem my good name and properly introduce myself!”

Kaede seemed to like the idea. Maki was fuming at the use of the nickname, the party’s host made sure to hold her back before she socked the liar in the face, which she would not hesitate one bit to do.  
Kokichi hid behind the detective’s (who was basically in his own world at this point, perhaps disassociating) leg, and stuck his tongue out at the one he dubbed Ms. Murder. Ignoring the death glare she shot at him, he turned back to Kaede with the most innocent smile he could muster.  
“Kokichi Ouma!” He exclaimed with that wide grin of his, extending out a hand. Kaede took it and shook it with a satisfied nod.  
“It’s nice to meet you!”

“Are you seriously going to ignore the conversation that happened two seconds ago?” Maki insisted, her eyes narrowing.

“Let’s give him a chance Maki, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”  
The other grumbled profanities (all aimed at the Supreme Leader) under her breath.

“It seems we’ve lost all contact with Shuichi..” Kaede decided to change the subject, and pointed at the detective with a small smile.

“Hellooooooo!” Kokichi nudged him, wrapping his arms around one of the detective’s arms and pulling it slightly. “Earth to Detective Conan??”

“H-Huh—?” Shuichi blinked, looking down at the shorter male, then looking at the others who eyed him with slight concern.

“You zoned out a bit there.” Kaede updated, giggling a little. “You didn’t miss much, we were just introducing ourselves to each other.”

“O-Oh— Okay good, That’s good... as long as you’re getting along..”

“Okay, so, I have to ask!” Kaede suddenly interrupted, eying the way Kokichi was holding onto Shuichi’s arm. “Give me the juice- Are you guys dating or what?”

“Yeppers!”  
“It’s complicated—“

There was an awkward silence after the overlapping answers. Kokichi let go of his arm and crossed his own instead.

“Uhhhh, sooooo! Let’s go to the main room—!” Kaito hastily came in to the rescue, patting Shuichi’s shoulder in a friendly (almost pitying) manner.

“Let’s.” Maki agreed, turning on her heel and exiting the room, desperate to put as much distance between Kokichi and herself as possible. The others followed, an unsteady silence remained in the air.

The silence was quickly broken by Kokichi (unsurprisingly), who gasped and practically ran to the other side of the room at the speed of light, towards a certain figure.  
“Big brother!!” He exclaimed, tackling said figure, who luckily, didn’t fall to the ground due to the height difference between them.

Shuichi, clearly confused at the choice nickname, eagerly turned to see who the thief had ambushed. His heart may as well have stopped beating, and his lungs may have shriveled into raisins.  
Rantaro Amami?

A number of things came to his mind:  
1\. He didn’t even know that Kaito knew him.  
2\. He didn’t know that Kokichi knew him.  
3\. What was up with that nickname?  
4\. Fuck.

Anxiety welled to the detective’s chest, he let out a sigh just to make sure his lungs were still working properly.  
Why him? Why him out of all the people in the goddamn city? How could Shuichi be in the same room as him, let alone look him in the eye or talk to him? His case wasn’t even completed, and here Shuichi was, at a party, wasting valuable time that he could be using to track down his remaining sisters that were yet to be found. He wanted to melt into the floor, or disappear into thin air, maybe turn himself in to the police department for treason, or have Hope’s Peak murder him and cover it up. He felt frozen in place, and his throat and chest worked hard to force him to breathe, had it been his choice, he’d choose to stop breathing all together, maybe pass out for a while. Was he going to pass out? He did feel a little lightheaded... Were people staring at him? Could everyone in the room see him freaking out silently? Where the fuck was his hat when he needed it? Why did Kokichi have to pin his hair back? He was naked, exposed, vulnerable—-

“Bro?” His hectic, overlapping thoughts and oncoming sensory overload was interrupted by Kaito, who looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. “All good?”

Shuichi stared at him for a moment, seemingly devoid of the ability to speak. He looked in front of him, where Rantaro Amami (and Kokichi) stood all of a sudden - when on earth did they cross the room??

“Y-Y-Yeah—“ The detective forced a small smile at Kaito, trying to look at anything and anyone that wasn’t Rantaro.

“Hahah, I bet it’s weird to see me here.. Don’t worry, I got my sisters’ approval to come.” The lime-haired male chuckled calmly at his own joke (to which Shuichi couldn’t bring himself to laugh). His tone was soft, and his voice was actually quite soothing to listen to. If his entire demeanor was to be described by one word, it’d be “chill”.

“O-Oh no, that’s not what I- I mean- I wasn’t thinking that you- I didn’t mean it in that way— did I say something—- I- Uh- Sorry—?” The jumbled string of incoherent and uncompleted sentences came out in a hurry, oh god, people were definitely looking. He was in the center of attention now, he had to say something and play off the anxiety.

“Um,, I-I didn’t know you guys... knew each other..” He quickly added, looking both at Kokichi and Kaito with a questioning expression.

“Oh yeah! Remember that part time job I had last summer? I met him there, he was super chill! Didn’t I tell you?”

Shuichi tried to think back, to no avail, his mind was way too muddled to recall such a memory.  
“I don’t know anymore...” He turned to Kokichi. “And you??” He questioned in a more stern tone, when Kokichi, or more correctly, the Phantom Thief, was invited to his house for the first time, he clearly acted like he didn’t recognize Rantaro’s face in that photo on his case board. He wanted answers.

“We’ve know each other since elementary school..” Rantaro replied instead of Kokichi, who stood close by to him.

“O-Oh really—?” The detective tried to hide the fact that that baffled him a bit. How could Kokichi not mention such a thing? “I see.. that’s um, cool..”

The other nodded, green eyes intently scanning Shuichi, who avoided eye contact as best he could. He was pro at this point, with how often he did so.  
“Did something happen to your head..?” Rantaro suddenly asked, eyes clearly fixated on the bandages on his head.

“Oh yeah, I was gonna ask too! Did you get hurt??” Kaito added on, Maki and Kaede were clearly interested to hear what he had to say for himself as well.

“O-Oh um—“ He had to think fast, his rather overprotective friends would freak if they knew someone had attacked him on a case. “I- I fell—“ He began, the rather pathetic lie barely falling off his lips before Kokichi decided to butt in.

“Poor poor Shumai fell when chasing the big bad Phantom Thief!” He gave an over-exaggerated pout to the rest of the group. They looked to Shuichi for confirmation, clearly not the most adamant on instantly believing anything Kokichi said.  
It wasn’t a horrible lie, he supposed, so he played along. Two voices were better than one.

“Y-Yeah— What he said.. I was just a bit hasty..”

“My poor Shu! Can you guys believe the nerve of this Phantom guy? He’s absolutely the most disgusting and despicable person to exist!” Kokichi clicked his tongue. Shuichi was about to mindlessly nod his head, until he realized what Kokichi was saying.  
“He’s a stupid stupid criminal, so utterly pathetic!” He continued, brushing some purple locks out of his face as he spoke.

“I’ll agree with you for once.” Maki rolled her eyes at the way he exaggerated, but nodded. “You should be a little more careful chasing him Shuichi, he’s dangerous after all.”

“O-Oh um- Yeah, don’t worry.. I know what I’m doing....” He reassured them with a small smile. He hoped that the painkillers he had taken beforehand would suppress his concussion-induced headache for long enough, perhaps he should have taken some with him as a precaution. He shrugged to himself, pushing the thought of a headache out of his mind before it gave him one.

After the end of that pure anxiety-inducing conversation (finally, Shuichi thought), Kaito stepped into the middle of the room, and clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention.  
“What’s up everyone!? Thanks for coming, first of all!! Before we really get started, I wanna make sure, is everyone here??”

“Nope!” A girl’s voice called out, ah, it was Tenko Chabashira, a rather strong willed and short-tempered type of girl. Shuichi wasn’t exactly sure if she counted as a friend, but she was in their class, and wasn’t that bad (when she wasn’t throwing someone around and calling them a degenerate male). “Angie’s not here! Ain’t answering our calls!” She motioned to Himiko, who sat next to her. She looked like she was seconds from dozing off.

“To be fair, I wasn’t sure how likely it was she was gonna come anyways—“ Kaito replied with a shrug. “Aside from Angie, everyone’s here, right?”  
When he heard no responses, he nodded defiantly. “Hell yeah! Get comfy then! We’re gonna start some activities soon!”

After his little announcement, people returned to what they were previously doing, most of them talking to their friends, snacking on delectables that were set upon the room’s dining table, and swaying or slightly bobbing their head to the music in the background.  
Shuichi stood there, feeling like an idiot. What exactly was he to do now? Despite knowing everyone there to some extent, idly mingling with peers was not a skill he possessed. Trained golden eyes scanned the room, inevitably landing on Kokichi. It seemed Rantaro had stepped away for a moment, so it was a good time to close in on him.

“Um, hey...” The detective muttered, looking down at the shorter male who rocked on his heels in time with the music’s beat.  
“Good evening, Shuichi~~” He looked up at him, violet eyes meeting golden.

“So, Big Brother? What’s with that? You know him?? When you saw his picture in my house you didn’t say anything—“ He questioned sternly in a hushed voice, ensuring no one heard the conversation.

“Chilllllll.” The thief replied, taking a strand of his own hair and twirling it around his finger. “The Phantom Thief didn’t know him, Kokichi Ouma does! Simple.”

“You—-“ Shuichi groaned, rubbing his temples in annoyance, clearly not in the mood to argue about some identity complex or whatever.  
“And the nickname is cause he constantlyyyy acts like he’s my wise older brother or something! It stuck throughout the years.” A small smirk played his lips, there was an amused glint in his eyes. “Jeeez, I’m starting to think that Shuichi here is jealous!”

“What? No... I’m just- frustrated that you lied, again. And about something like that..” The detective grumbled. “And what was with what you were saying about the Phantom Thief earli—“

“Big Brotherrrr! Let’s check out the drinks!!” The thief suddenly called out to Rantaro, turning on his heel swiftly, and leaving to the other side of the room. Shuichi was left to stand there alone, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration.  
“Is he serious...” He mumbled under his breath, his fingers going back to anxiously tugging at the hem of his coat.

“You look a little lost Shuichi...” Kaede’s voice called from behind him, he quickly turned to look at her, relieved to see a comforting face.  
“You could say that...” He smiled considerately.

“Well don’t worry! We’re just about to start an icebreaker, get comfortable, sit somewhere!” She motioned to a couple of empty seats. Shuichi nodded slowly as he watched Kaede head off to Kaito, he briefly remembered that she helped him with the party as a “second in command”. He let his eyes scan the room once more, and eventually took a seat in the only seat that didn’t have someone too close to it. He sat on the large armchair in the somewhat corner of the room, and felt his figure practically sink into the velvet cushions.

The music’s volume was lowered, and Kaito’s strong tone rose above everyone else’s.  
“All right you guys! Since not all of you really know each other, we’re starting off the night with an icebreaker!”  
Shuichi huffed, letting his head be consumed by the chair. He was never a fan of icebreakers, he was often extremely fidgety during them, constantly concerned that he’d say something stupid or make a fool out of himself. Then again, with his display when talking to Rantaro earlier, perhaps it was too late to not embarrass himself.  
“So we’ll go clockwise, when we get to your turn, say your name and favorite planet in the known universe! I’ll start!” He exclaimed, the detective chuckled softly. The favorite planet thing was so Kaito, and he supposed that this would go decently enough, considering it wasn’t as stressful as other icebreakers he had done in the past.

“I’m your host, Kaito Momota! You all know me, obviously. My favorite planet is earth!”

“Earth doesn’t count.” Maki looked towards him. Shuichi swore he saw her slightly inch closer to the host.  
“Uhhh, Earth is a planet, therefore it counts, Maki Roll.” He replied with a toothy grin. Maki didn’t seem to have a better argument than the one presented before her.

“Well, it’s a boring answer. ..Oh,” She paused for a moment after realizing it was her turn. “Maki. ..Harukawa. Venus. I guess.”

“Of course Ms. Murder would choose the planet that burns everything to a crisp.”

“Shut the fuck up, you little gremlin.”

Kaito quickly calmed Maki down before the situation escalated into a violent one. Kokichi dramatically put his hand over his forehead, gripping onto Rantaro’s shirt with the other.  
“Oh my god! I’m terrified!! Her stare is piercing my soul I... I don’t think I’m going to make it.....”

Rantaro rolled his eyes (much like Shuichi would towards Kokichi’s shenanigans) and shook his head with a disapproving look.  
“We’re not here to pick fights..”

“Boo! You guys are no fun.” He pouted.

Shuichi spent the next minute partly listening to introductions, and rehearsing what he was going to say in his head. He only paused briefly to listen to Kokichi’s answer.

“Uranus, obviously.” The Supreme Leader crosses his arms as if it were obvious.

“Jesus, you’re a child.” Maki rolled crimson eyes in exasperation, Kokichi frowned and shook his head at her. She glared  
“It’s not because of the name, stupid-head!” He huffed, puffing his cheeks slightly. “It’s cause I heard it rains diamonds there. Isn’t that right, Space Man?”

“Well, yeah- He’s not wrong-“ Kaito scratched the back of his head, avoiding the blood red eyes that were digging into the side of his head in annoyance. “Fun fact, it’s also the coldest planet in the Solar System!”

“Wowwwww!!” Kokichi exclaimed, exaggeratedly expressing his exhilaration. “Just like Maki Roll’s soul, we have soooo much in common~!”

“That’s it—“ Maki seemed to reach her limit, beginning to stand up and strangle him herself. Kaito quickly grabbed her arm, after Shuichi had calmed from his alarmed state, he tilted his head slightly at what looked to be the sight of blush painted on Maki’s cheeks. Interesting. He took a mental note.  
After the situation died down, to everyone’s luck (Kokichi seemed rather disappointed), Shuichi went back to almost obsessively repeating what he’d say on his turn - yet another anxiety induced habit.  
Shuichi Saihara. Neptune. Shuichi Saihara. Neptune. Shuichi Saihara. Neptune. It was just his name and a planet, there was no way he could mess this up, he had no reason to be nervous or stutter.

“A-Ah- Sh-Shuichi Saihara—“  
He mentally facepalmed, he let himself be caught off guard and ended up stuttering anyways. So much for not looking like an idiot. “I guess.. Neptune is my favorite..?” He added, at this point he just wanted it to be over with. He could practically feel the pitying smiles aimed towards him, and simply eyed the end of his coat, gently tugging on the hem. Something about it was comforting- it gave him something to fidget with. Generally it would be his bangs, but it felt rude to mess up the way Kokichi styled his hair.

The detective let his body vanish into the armchair’s solacing cushions as the rest of the group finished off the icebreaker. Kaito announced that they’d play a game in a couple of minutes, Shuichi silently prayed that it didn’t involve speaking or social interaction in a whole. He was already so burnt out, perhaps he needed a light drink to chill. One could imagine his thrill when he found out that the next game was a drinking game.  
It was basically “Never have I ever”, except Kaito and Kaede had renamed it to “Drink If”, because they could never remember if the sentence meant they had to say something they have or haven’t done.

After explaining the rules of the game (despite it being pretty obvious) and passing out the drinks (something pretty light, much like Shuichi preferred his alcohol), everyone sat in somewhat of a circle. Tenko and Himiko sat on one couch, there was space for more but they insisted to keep a spot empty incase Angie ended up coming, Rantaro and Kokichi sat on the second couch, despite there being more space near them, it didn’t seem like anyone actually wanted to be seated next to Kokichi. Shuichi supposed he couldn’t blame them, but still felt a little bad. Tsumugi, Kirumi, and Gonta were sitting on the soft carpet on the floor, legs crossed and all, while Kaito, Maki, and Kaede rested upon beanbags that were set near carpet. They were rather big, Kaito and Kaede shared one, while Maki had insisted on sitting on the other alone. Everyone gripped a cup filled with some kind of light alcohol that Shuichi didn’t catch the name of, and to be frank he didn’t care all that much, anything that could take the edge off his restlessness would meet his standards for tonight. The game had begun, the first to empty their cup would be subjected to a dare.

As usual, Kaito began the game with a banger. “Drink if you’ve never punched someone in the face!” He exclaimed, almost looking proud for the fact that he had. Shuichi knew it firsthand, Kaito had punched him on one of the first days they knew each other - he did it because of the way Shuichi talked down on himself one particular day, and that was the first and only time he had used any kind of violence against him. It was all with good intentions, and Shuichi was never angry about it since Kaito apologized for being too hard on him shortly after it happened. He simply wanted to help him be stronger and “man up” a bit, hence the training they did.  
Shuichi smiled almost fondly at the memory of being punched (people have indeed joked that he was masochist more than once) as he took a swig of his drink, not recalling ever punching someone. The drink was light and fizzy, it was sweet with a bitter aftertaste, which didn’t bother Shuichi, considering he constantly drank bitter pure black coffee on a daily basis. He decided he enjoyed the taste, and looked at who else had never punched anyone in their life. Kaede, Rantaro, Tsumugi, Himiko, and Kokichi (Maki refused to believe that). Gonta asked if accidental punches counted, Kaito decided they didn’t. When Kirumi was questioned (since she wasn’t the violent type), she told them about how she had temporarily served as a bodyguard in her past escapades as a maid to certain people. Maki and Tenko’s reasons were self-explanatory.

Kaede’s turn ensued, “Drink if you’ve never played an instrument before!” was her statement, it was simple and very Kaede-esque. Shuichi leaned back in his chair, observing the room (“the room” meaning mostly Kokichi). He technically had played the piano a bit, because Kaede had insisted on teaching him some when they first met, so he now knew how to play a few basic songs on the piano, but that was pretty much it. Aside from that, he and music didn’t go together that well, he was a little tone-deaf. The only people who took a sip of their drinks were Tenko, Gonta, and Himiko, everyone else mostly reminisced playing something when they were younger and dropping out of it, Kirumi talked about how she could play multiple instruments to fulfill musical requested for clients, Rantaro told everyone about how when he was on a trip to South America, some natives showed him how to play local cultural instruments. Shuichi couldn’t help but look at Kokichi, wondering what instrument he allegedly indulged in.

A few more statements were made, after each sip, Shuichi began to realize that he hadn’t done that much in his life. When his turn came, he said “Drink if you’ve been abroad”, and was pretty proud to see most of the group take a sip. He personally never had the chance to get out of the country quite yet.  
After a short discussion of where everyone had been (peoples’ mouths went agape when Rantaro began listing the amount of countries he’d been to) Kokichi’s turn came. He scanned the room briefly, before looking at Rantaro next to him. “Drink if you have siblings!” Was what he went with, Rantaro rolled his eyes promptly, clearly understanding he was being targeted. Shuichi was pretty surprised that Kokichi had chosen something so tame.  
It was soon apparent that most people in the group were only children, besides Rantaro, Gonta (mentioning something about wolves or dogs or whatnot?), and Kaede, who briefly told the story of her younger twin sister she didn’t actually have contact with.

On Rantaro’s turn, he crossed his arms as he momentarily glanced at Kokichi, who poked his tongue out at him. The detective could tell that he was trying to find a statement to purposefully target Kokichi, but he didn’t expect the sentence that came out of his mouth.  
“Drink if you’re not a virgin.”

Kokichi pouted as he took a swig, shaking his head disapprovingly at Rantaro. “Jeeeeeeezzzzzz, what a pervvvv!”

“As expected of a degenerate male.”

“Hahah, sorry, ‘twas the easiest thing I had on him.” He motioned towards the Supreme Leader, who blew a raspberry at him. No one else made a motion to take a drink, which led Kokichi to - for the first time since before the game began - make eye contact with Shuichi. Violet eyes looked at the cup in Shuichi’s hand, then into golden eyes. The detective knew exactly what he was implying, and didn’t know if he hated Kokichi or himself more at that moment.  
There was no point in lying, if he didn’t drink now then Kokichi would announce that they had fucked to half of the universe. Even so, there were already three people in the room who knew, one out of the three being the very one to blame for the lack of his v-card.

A satisfied smirk made it’s way onto the devil spawn’s face when Shuichi rose the cup to his lips. He immediately regret it when he saw Kaede’s face scrunch up, and eyebrows furrow.  
“I’m sorry, what?” She exclaimed, intently eying the detective with blatant shock.

“Surprise???” He attempted to laugh it off dismissively, not really taking it to be a big deal, but Kaede clearly wasn’t in the same mind set.  
“When did that happen?!”

“‘Bout two months ago.” Kokichi answered for him. As much as Shuichi wanted to go right up to him and shut him up himself, all he could do was melt in his seat as an unruly amount of blood pooled in his cheeks. What did he expect from Kokichi?

Once Kaede’s face twisted in realization as she connected the dots, Shuichi decided it was best to quickly move on, before anxiety ate away at his soul.  
“I-It’s your turn Kaito—“ He quickly pointed out, Kaito got the hint.  
As he took a minute to think of a statement, Shuichi jumped slightly at the buzz of his phone in the pocket of his jeans. Impeccable timing, perhaps someone was set on saving him before he embarrassed himself any further that night. Pulling out his phone, he took a glance at the contact name. His lips curled into a disappointed frown.  
“What do they want at this hour..?”

“Work???” Kaito questioned, Shuichi nodded in reply, his lack of enthusiasm to answer the call prominent in his eyes.  
“Sorry.. If they’re calling this late then it could be important.. I’ll be quick. Continue without me..” He smiled politely, but he felt horribly impolite despite it being out of his control. He slowly unstuck himself from the soft cushions of the armchair, practically stalling, and sauntered out of the main room, missing the way Kokichi’s eyes followed his figure. He went to Kaito’s room and closed the door behind him to ensure he didn’t disturb anyone’s fun with what was probably some stupid question, or an update on the Amami case. That would’ve been an awkward one, considering Rantaro being present in the other room.

But no, the call he received was so much worse than he had hoped for.

“Hello?” He spoke into the phone after tapping the green answer button.

“Saihara... Are you available right now?”

“Uh,” He looked around the room, and his eyes landed on a framed photo on Kaito’s dresser. It was of himself, Kaito and Maki, standing in front of Hope’s Peak on the day of graduation. A small smile made it’s way on to his face. He had neglected his friends so much because of work, and he felt horrid for it. And damn it, it was Kaito’s birthday. No case was worth the well-being of his best friend.  
“No.” He lied. He really should do it less, before it became a habit like a certain someone’s. “I’m out of town on a case. Did something happen?”

“Ah, well yes, the Roman Numeral Killer has claimed another victim.”

“Oh.” Was the first word that automatically fell out of his mouth. He suddenly felt bad for lying.

“So if you could get back by tomorrow morning to take a look at the scene—“

“Yes- Yeah, of course- I’ll be there tomorrow, as early as possible..”

“Fantastic. I’ll send you an address and the case details. Tonight’s victim is a 19 year old girl, Angie Yonaga, also known as the Ultimate Artist. Blow to the head, we’re waiting for specialists to determine if it was an instant death. You’ll get the details and pictures soon.”  
Everything else he said was a bit of a blur, because Shuichi was trying to determine if he had heard that correctly.

“S-Sorry— Could you repeat the name?”

“Angie Yonaga. I believe she attended Hope’s Peak?”

“R—Right. Thank you-“ He quickly replied, shortly hanging up.

Could there be worse timing? Could there possibly be a worse victim? Could there be a worse coincidence?  
As he slowly processed what he had heard, almost in denial, he heard a notification from his phone. An email.  
He shouldn’t. He shouldn’t open it, he should just go back out there and get shitfaced and forget about what he had heard, forget about the empty spot on the couch between Tenko and Himiko. Despite every inch of his mind telling him no, his finger disobeyed the warnings and opened up the file sent to him.

The picture his eyes were met with made something in his stomach churn. He was fortunate to not have a gag reflex, but if he had then it probably would have taken hold at that moment.  
Her white hair that was always kept in two, loose pig tails was stained with an unruly amount of blood. A blunt strike to the head with something big, it seemed. The blood was prominent against the wooden floor, and shiny too, meaning it was wet, meaning it was recent. He took note of that and shortly after forced himself to lock his phone before his sudden wave of nausea overtook him.

Shuichi didn’t even know her that well. Angie had an... eccentric personality and set of beliefs, but she was not a bad person. She was there for different classmates at different times, and a good friend of Tenko and Himiko, who seemed to enjoy her company. They were there, in the other room, unfairly unaware of what had happened to their best friend. Shuichi felt he had no right to know such information before them. Somehow, he felt as though it was his fault. Like he had initiated some chain of events that led to a butterfly effect.

Whatever was churning in his stomach quickly made it’s way to his chest and lungs, practically knocking the air out of him. It felt like some practical joke was being played on him, the universe was laughing in his face and collapsing onto him all at once.  
He was an idiot. Everything fell apart today out of all days, he couldn’t even go to a best friend’s birthday party like a normal fucking person and have fun like anyone else. He constantly had to make a fool out of himself, he could practically smell the others’ pathetic pitying glances and judgemental stares. And yes, he noticed Kokichi being uncharacteristically distant with him too, and ignored it for the sake of denial. His overanalyzing also noticed that Kokichi hadn’t referred to him by any nicknames since the conversation at the entrance, which at this point in their relationship was rare for him, which was a red flag. There he was, swimming in a current of denial and anxiety and too many loud thoughts that clouded his mind. He felt the oncoming headache, and cursed himself for not bringing painkillers. His stupid fucking headache, from that damn concussion from his pathetic excuse of an undercover mission. Of course, he couldn’t forget about the girl he potentially indirectly killed. And now someone else was dead and he was sitting in a party that was going on without him, surrounded by the mocking stench of death and anxiety.

Maybe the world just liked to kill.  
Was he next? Was he dying?? Was he having a heart attack? Was he _going_ to have a heart attack?? And drop dead? On Kaito’s birthday? He truly was a horrid friend.  
The room was spinning. Or was he spinning? Was he sitting? He was. He stood. A mistake, the room spun faster and the walls closed in on his frail silhouette. Was he breathing? He took a breath (tried to). He wasn’t sure. His lungs weren’t accepting the pending oxygen. He was walking all of a sudden, was he conscious? He must have been. Or was he dreaming? Was this a horrible nightmare? He was in the bathroom all of a sudden. When did he get there. Why was he at this party. What made him think he could handle it.

Shaking hands reached for a faucet. Cold water managed to wake something in him up, he felt a bit more in control, but it wasn’t enough. His head was pounding now, and he felt every beat of his heart pumping whatever blood he had into god knew where. His eyes landed on himself, his reflection in the mirror, was he crying? When did he start crying? He wasn’t going to cry on Kaito’s birthday, not in his house, in his bathroom. Continuous trembling and sweaty hands desperately tugged at the faucet once more, and more cold water was now splashed onto his face.  
The headache, he had to get rid of the headache. Surely Kaito had some kind of pain reliever in his cabinets. Shuichi‘s hands opened the medicine cabinet, his eyes scanning each prescription medication and pill bottles (there were a lot, for reasons Shuichi was too far gone to theorize).  
OxyContin, it would work. It was strong enough. As he took the small bottle in his hands, he heard the pills rattle against the plastic container due to his shaky movements. He paused after popping the cap, how many did he need? One? Two? Two were poured onto his hand. Oxycodone was an opioid analgesic, he remembered reading all of a sudden. It was supposed to have a calming effect. He wanted nothing more than to calm down at that moment. Three more tablets fell onto his palm. It may have been too much, but it should’ve been enough to not hurt him. Maybe. He didn’t take the time to think, the pills were already halfway down his throat. He used the faucet’s water to down them easier.

It would take twenty to thirty minutes for the medication to take effect. Fortunately, Shuichi finally felt himself coming to. His breathing began to calm (he hadn’t even noticed that he was breathing so hard) and he wasn’t dead. It took him a little too long to realize that he had just suffered a panic attack. How much time had passed? Were people worried? He had to go back before his friends grew suspicious. He didn’t even want to see half of the people there at his point, Kokichi was avoiding him for god knew what reason, Rantaro was just... there. And he didn’t want to face Tenko and Himiko with the information he had and couldn’t share. He just wanted to leave.

Looking back at the mirror, Shuichi frowned at the face that stared back. He looked pathetic, and the makeup Kokichi put his heart and mind into was ruined. The right wing was smeared into an unrecognizable blob, and half of the foundation was gone, revealing bits and pieces of his stupid eye-bags and blotchy face that he loathed with every inch of his being. The carefully parted hair was disheveled, and the pin was about to fall off. Of course he ruined it. He ruined everything.

After pocketing the pin and letting his bangs hide the obvious post-breakdown eyes, Shuichi hesitated, but exited the room. He pitifully sauntered through the hallway, back to the main room, not really wondering what was happening while he was gone. At this point, he just wanted to grab Kokichi and leave. Or leave alone like the pathetic party-goer he was.

“Hey, sorry I was long... just a long boring work thing....” He spoke to no one in particular. Only, no one was paying attention to him, their eyes were much more focused on two other figures in the room.  
Maki and Kokichi, (and Kaito who desperately tried to pry her away) Maki’s hands were very well clasped around the latter’s neck, he laughed at her with drunk violet eyes. His frail figure dangled like a limp puppet in her firm grasp.

“M-Maki-!” Shuichi cried out, his voice cracked slightly, but there was no point in caring for such a trivial thing.

“He pissed me off.”

“I swear I tried to stop her!” Kaito pointed out quickly, raising his hands up in defense. “...but he was being a bit insensitive—“

“He’s drunk, you should let him off the hook...” Rantaro defended Kokichi, who helplessly squirmed in her trained grip. His eyes finally met with Shuichi’s, and he silently pleaded for help with honest eyes. Seemed he was more truthful when intoxicated, that was either good or bad. He had a feeling that he’d figure it out sooner or later.

“Maki..” Shuichi repeated, walking over to the duo. His voice was drowsy and low, and shook slightly as a side effect of what had happened earlier.  
“Don’t..” He added, and cautiously set a hand on her arm. It was risky, but he was fairly certain that she didn’t have it in her to hurt the helpless and pathetic detective.  
She glanced at him, and saw his tired eyes and disheveled hair. Everyone saw the hesitation in her movements when she let go of Kokichi.

“That was just a warning. Don’t piss me off next time.” She flatly warned, taking a step back. Tension hung in the air.

“Are you okay?” The detective questioned Kokichi, who lazily rubbed his throat.

“Wowwww... That was a gooood grip! Ya choke people often?”

Ah, so he chose to continue ignoring him. Fine, if that was how he wanted to play, Shuichi wasn’t one to be petty. He quickly spoke before Maki had any other thoughts of strangling the life out of Kokichi.  
“I think we‘ve had enough for today. We should go.” He muttered, taking Kokichi by the shoulder. The shorter male tugged his shoulder away from the detective’s grip. Once again, out of character. Kokichi was one to cling, especially to his so-called beloved. Shuichi found the distance almost painful, but he didn’t show it, not in front of everyone.

“Ah, but.....” Kaito began in a dejected tone. He stopped himself, and smiled instead, nodding. “No, yeah, you guys look like crap.. Y’all should rest.”

Shuichi couldn’t agree more, Kaito began leading him to the door, but Kokichi didn’t seem eager to comply.  
“Noooo! Partyzzjust gettin’ sshtarted..” He looked towards Rantaro with pleading eyes. “Big brother” shook his head.

“No, I agree with him..” He spoke softly, a calm smile present on his face. Shuichi wondered how he could keep that nonchalant demeanor so consistently. “Do you need help?”

It took the detective a moment to realize that the question was posed at him. His mind was turning to mush. He was tired and drugged up and he wanted to drop dead and sleep forever.  
“No.” The reply came out cold, when he realized his mistake, he did his best to correct himself. “I-I mean no thanks— We’re fine, right Kokichi?”

“You’re meeaaann.” He pouted, at least he bothered replying this time around. “Stupid stupid Shumai. Dummy dumb detective. Filthy stinky sleuth.” He rambled, making all kinds of hand movements and gestures. Honestly, Shuichi wasn’t gone for that long. The hell did he manage to drink in that amount of time? Shuichi concluded that his tolerance was very, very low. Which made sense, considering his age and petite figure. He thought he was the “big bad Phantom Thief”, but he could only handle so much.  
“Okay.” He replied tiredly, fighting away the urge to yawn. “You can keep calling me dumb at my place, okay? Let’s just go.. please?” He tried a kinder approach, it seemed to calm Kokichi a bit.

“Fine, whatevs.” He made his way to the door, Kaito led them there, seemingly relieved to get rid of Kokichi. Once they were alone in the main entrance, a frown made it’s way onto Shuichi’s visage.  
“I’m so sorry.. This was a disaster...”

“It’s fine, bro, you didn’t do anything wrong! You shouldn’t be the one apologizing.” He glared at the other male in the room momentarily, digging ashy purple eyes into a nonchalant, out-of-it Kokichi. “Besides, I shouldn’t have pressured you t’ come anyways, I know parties aren’t your thing.”

“No, it’s okay.. I wanted to try, for you..” He smiled considerately. His headache was beginning to fade ever-so-slightly, but the hefty dose of medication was giving in to his drowsiness, he fought the urge to shut his eyelids. “Can I make it up to you? Can we go somewhere, me, you and Maki? Like old times?”

“Of course!” The astronaut’s eyes lit up like the night sky. Shuichi admired the excitement. “And I’ve been wanting to talk to you lately- so it’s perfect!”

“Ah, talk to me about what?” He questioned curiously, ignoring Kokichi complaining about how bored he was in the background of their conversation.

Kaito paused for a moment, taking a second to think. His eyes made their way to Kokichi for a moment, then returned to Shuichi, almost troubled. “—S’nothing urgent! Just some things to catch up on, that’s all. Hey, we’ll talk about it later, alright?”

“Right, okay..” The detective nodded. Usually, he would be a little concerned at the serious demeanor Kaito had suddenly adopted, but the narcotics in his system couldn’t care less. “We’ll talk.. sorry again.. I’ll see you later..”  
After a quick hug, Kaito waved the two off, watching Shuichi practically drag Kokichi along with pity in his heart.

“Nothing urgent?” Maki’s voice suddenly emerged from the room’s doorway. There was muffled music from the other room, clearly Kaede had gotten the party back on track. Kaito knew he made a good choice when asking her to help out.  
“You’re an idiot.”

“You know he won’t take it well-“ He began to argue, but Maki was quick to shut his excuses down.  
“I know. And the longer you wait to tell him, the more upset he’ll be.”

He had no comeback. Simply a pathetic nod of the head in obedience. The astronaut listened to the sounds of his friends’ muffled speaking in the other room, it was best to join them.  
“Let’s go back, Maki Roll.”  
She mumbled something in agreement, and turned on her heel swiftly, exiting the room.

Kaito soon followed, with the all too familiar taste of iron and blood invading his mouth.

~🌺~

The taxi ride back home was... awkward, to say the least. Kokichi occupied himself by playing with the button that open and closed the passenger window (to the driver’s annoyance), and Shuichi focused on trying not to hurl or fall asleep. He wasn’t sure which one of them was worse, the shitfaced Phantom Thief or the nationwide known detective, high on OxyContin Painkillers. He was really feeling the effects now, despite his mind being at ease (since generally after a situation like that he’d be anxious beyond all meaning) and his headache dulling, a wave of nausea washed over his senses, it wasn’t the most pleasant feeling, and he wasn’t high enough to not think about why on earth Kokichi had been acting so strangely during the party.

Once they arrived at the apartment, Shuichi was desperate to crash. He was dragging his body at this point, and saw that Kokichi was in a similar position. To get it over with quickly, he retrieved clothes for both of them, tossing some sleepwear at Kokichi.  
“Here, change..” was all he stated, the shorter male stared at the clothing in his hands as if it were an entity from outer space. Shuichi retreated to the bathroom, working to remove whatever was left of the make up, and tossing his clothes into the laundry hamper, besides the trench coat, which he carefully hung on a hook on the bathroom’s door. The sight of his familiar eye bags greeted him after he was done wiping off the makeup, he made a face at himself before throwing on the sleepwear.  
Once he exited the bathroom, he expected to find Kokichi dressed and asleep, but no, it looked like he hadn’t even moved since their last encounter.

“Kokichi?”

“Mmmmmmm?

“Are you going to uh,” He paused for a moment, almost forgetting what he wanted to say. “Change or....?”

“Help.” He pouted, holding out an arm to the detective. Was he.. back to being clingy?  
“Oh.. are you sure..?”

“Helppppp.” Kokichi repeated, making his request clear. Normally, Shuichi would make a big deal out of it, or be too embarrassed, but no such feeling washed over him as he undid the straps of his overalls, and assisted him with taking off his shoes and fishnets.  
After helping him into the sleepwear with some struggle, he mumbled a small “hold on”, and went to the bathroom to retrieve makeup remover. He shortly returned with that and some cotton pads to assist with wiping the makeup off.

“Close your eyes.” He ordered, Kokichi obeyed silently, shivering at the cold and wet contact of the substance on his eyelid.  
There was a brief silence as Shuichi worked on removing every bit of eyeshadow and foundation, only to reveal his near-perfect, pale and porcelain-like skin. The quiet was killing him as he worked. He had to ask, he had to say something.

“Kokichi... Are you.. mad at me?”

“I dunno.”

Shuichi raised his eyebrows at the answer, he was eager to hear more, despite the slight pain in his chest from hearing the reply.

“I dunno if I’m even...fuckin’ drunk...... am I just placebo-ing?”

“Don’t change the subject.... What happened? Did I... Did I do something? And what happened with Maki over there? You know better than to get on her nerves.."

“Stupid Shumai....” He pouted. It was exaggerated, as usual, but something about it was equally genuine. “You’re dumb........ I’m dumb... We’re both so stupid....”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked again, not appreciating the deflection of the questions he posed. Kokichi wasn’t really one to self-deprecate, so the detective wondered if something had happened that he was unaware of, was it the incident with Maki? Did he say something wrong?

Kokichi fell back-first into the cushions of the bed. He almost purred at how heavenly they felt. “Come..” He invited Shuichi, holding both his arms apart. It was tempting. Shuichi didn’t want to decline, even though he was angry at the fact he received no satisfying answer. The only reason he succumbed to the invitation was because he was high, and so fucking tired. The narcotics deprived him of any energy he had that day, and so did his breakdown earlier. So he laid next to the shorter male, who tightly gripped onto the other, almost with desperation. His purple locks tickled the detective’s chin.

“We’re talking about this tomorrow.”

“Yeah yeah, whatevs......” Kokichi groaned, no amount of alcohol could mask the way he dreaded the thought of the next day. He immersed himself into the sweater Shuichi wore, taking in the scent of steamed milk and berries. He found the scent much more interesting that what it’s owner had to say. He fell asleep quickly enough, even though Shuichi added a few more sentences to his statement. It seemed as thought he’d deprived himself of energy for the day, at long last.

Shuichi sighed. He was desperate for answers, and while this would usually keep him up all night, the medication he had in his system forced him into slumber. He could barely keep his eyes open.

His dreams were haunted by a corpse, clad in a yellow coat and bashed-in head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not reaaaallly happy with how this chapter turned out, but it was still fun to write. I'm sure Shuichi's and Kokichi's conversation the next day will go swimmingly.


	16. Beautiful Lies / Ugly Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi and Kokichi talk. There's much to discuss than initially thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhgkghf this chapter feels rushed?? idk??? but damn was it fun to write the dialouge between shuichi and kokichi :) enjoy!

The nausea was inevitable. What did Shuichi expect after abruptly downing a heavy dose of narcotic pain medication?

The trip to the bathroom was hazy, he had barely made it before vomiting his mostly empty stomach (he had been too anxious to even eat anything yesterday, he cursed himself) into the toilet. The feeling was revolting, he felt as though he had emptied his insides - as in his intestines and stomach fluid. The mental image of that almost made him hurl again.  
After what was hopefully the last of it, Shuichi had no strength to stand. He sat on the bathroom’s rug pathetically, reeking of vomit, gross coffee, and sweat, his back pressed up against the cold porcelain tub’s side. Along with the nausea, he was also tired out of his mind. A corpse haunted his nightmares, and ensured he got the worst possible sleep he could.

Tired golden eyes caught sight of the trench coat that hung off a hook, it reminded him of yesterday. Too much had happened yesterday. On the bright side, at least it couldn’t get worse.  
Right?

Deciding he couldn’t rot on the bathroom floor forever, the detective found it was best to shower and deprive himself of the stench of vomit and poor decisions. He ensured that he lathered every inch of his body with the strongest, fruity-smelling soap he had, accompanied by berry scented shampoo. Once he made sure that he smelled acceptable (albeit a bit fruity) he exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, making his way to the closet. He glanced at Kokichi for a moment, he was still asleep. Considering how drunk he was yesterday, he was guaranteed a killer headache. Shuichi made sure to note to prepare water and meds for when he woke up.  
Opening the closet, Shuichi grabbed his usual white button up, and black pinstriped pants. He had promised to check out the scene of yesterday’s murder as soon as possible, which means he had to be dressed properly. He dreaded the thought of yesterday as he got dressed.

After getting dressed, Shuichi made his way to the kitchen to grab Kokichi a glass of water. Once he put the glass on the nightstand, he paid a visit to the bathroom to grab some light medicine if Kokichi felt the need for it. He dropped the small box onto the nightstand.  
After that, he returned to the kitchen. He desperately craved a coffee, but his mind told him to rest his stomach after puking his brains out, so he hesitantly settled for herbal tea instead.

As he watched the kettle heat up patiently, his anxious mind inevitably wandered to the thought of yesterday. How fortunate was he to be immediately distracted by Kokichi, standing at the doorway of the bedroom.  
His wild plum locks were the very definition of “bed head”, and his eyelids drooped tiredly, eyelashes casting shadows over violet irises. The bed’s blanket encased most of his body, resting over his narrow shoulders.

“..Good morning, Kokichi...” Shuichi cautiously greeted. Kokichi flashed a grin at him, acting as though nothing was wrong, despite the extremely persistent tension in the air.  
“Morninggg!” The other replied rather cheerfully, dragging his feet to the kitchen and plopping himself on a stool. Really, if Shuichi didn’t know him better, he’d have assumed that he was completely fine with the way he was acting. Of course, in reality, Kokichi felt like shit, in more ways than physically.

“How are you feeling?” The detective continued, eying his expressions intently, he could practically smell the lies cooking in his head.  
“Fantastic! I feel like a new man, like I’ve been rebirthed into the world!”

_Red Flag no. 1 - Lying._

“Uh,,” Shuichi paused, thinking of how to reply to that. “Are you sure about that?”

Kokichi gasped, setting a hand over his chest as he shrugged his shoulders to keep the blanket on his figure. “Shumai! Are you calling me a liar? Are you doubting me? I’m so offended...!” He sniffed, preparing his infamous crocodile tears.

_Red Flag no. 2 - Exaggeration._

“N-No I’m—“ He huffed. “Kokichi, please, I’m not in the mood for your games today... I want to talk to you.”

“Why such a scary serious face Shumai?” The shorter male pouted, the pending tears instantaneously disappearing. He pulled the blanket over his shoulders tightly, almost as if it were a protective shield.

Before Shuichi could answer, the whistling of the kettle ex machina did it’s part to interrupt the statement about to fall off his lips.  
“Ohhh! Are you making me tea? How thoughtful of you! Two sugars, please and thank you!”

_Red Flag no. 3 - Avoidance._

The detective sat in silence for a moment, but did indeed get up to make them both tea. Perhaps it’d coax Kokichi into opening up a little more. He ignored the request for two sugars, dropping in one cube instead, still ensuring his sugar intake was minimal. After sliding the mug across the table towards the other male, who gripped the handle and began blowing on the tea, watching the mesmerizing ripples, Shuichi sat back down across from him, staring at the steam that came from his mug.

There was an unsteady silence that wavered in between them that Shuichi disliked greatly, everything that happened yesterday rewinded in his mind, consistently replaying over and over to figure out what had made Kokichi act the way he did yesterday. He didn’t even notice the fact that Kokichi was already halfway through his tea, until the latter’s empty mug was audibly set on the counter with a satisfied sigh from it’s owner.

“Well, this has been fun, but I reeaaally need to leave! Y’know, got big top-secret heist and world domination plans to work on!” The leader exclaimed, hopping out of his seat. He threw the blanket onto the couch, and Shuichi noticed that he was already dressed, meaning he was eager and prepared to leave from the start. He even wore his clothes from yesterday, not bothering to steal a sweater or shirt from the detective’s closet like he usually did.

“Kokichi—“

“I’ll see you then, beloved!” He shot finger guns towards him and turned towards the door on his heel rather hastily.

_Red Flag no. 4 - Running Away._

There was no way Shuichi was going to leave it at this. Kokichi had gotten out of talking about how he felt time and time again, and the detective always let it slide, but today he was determined to get an answer to the strange behavior.

“Kokichi wait!” He raised his voice, he rarely did so, his tone was usually so meek and calm, so this caught the thief off guard. He stopped in his tracks, and turned his head briefly, only to see Shuichi make his way towards him.  
“Stop- Stop this already, you’re doing it again.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Kokichi questioned innocently, his finger twirling a purple strand of his hair. It was his turn to avoid eye contact.

“You’re lying.” Shuichi glared almost harshly, golden eyes burning into Kokichi’s pale skin. “And you lied yesterday too, about not knowing Rantaro. You can’t—" He sighed. "You can’t lie about things like that-“

“Things like what now?” The thief continued playing dumb, praying Shuichi would be too tired to deal with it and let him leave already. He’d much rather be planning a heist right now.

Shuichi pinched the bridge of his nose, standing in silence for a moment. “Look. I know lying is a part of who you are. I’m not... I’m not trying to change that about you but- This relationship can’t work if you lie about things that are serious.”

A blank expression made it’s way to Kokichi’s face. Then a smile, and then laughter echoed in the apartment. But it wasn’t mocking, or joking, or lighthearted. It was a stone cold laugh that fell flat as quickly as it began.  
“This _relationship_?” He shook his head. “What relationship? Our, in your words, _complicated_ relationship?” He questioned, mocking the tone Shuichi usually used.  
“You want me to be serious, Saihara?” Shuichi visibly cringed at the use of his last name. “I’ll be serious then, because the big bad detective wants me to tell the truth!” He pouted with large eyes before his face fell flat once more.

“The only thing complicated about this relationship is you. You and your stupid inferiority complex. Look at me, I’m Saihara, I’m so painfully shy and anxious until I come in contact with the big bad Phantom Thief! Then I can be as condescending as I want to, cause he’s sooooo bad and I’m the hero who saves the day!”

“—What—-? You think I’m using you as an- ego boost?? That’s not—“

“That’s not true!” Kokichi mocked his tone of voice once again, before returning to his own. “Oh yeah? If it’s not true, why is it whenever we’re in public or with your little friends or whatever, you’re—-“ Kokichi paused for a moment, almost as if he didn’t want to say the next word. “— _ashamed_ of being next to me? But when we’re alone, then you’re suddenly _oh-so lovey dovey~_ ”

“F— First of all, I’m not ashamed-“

“Yeah, okay, keep telling yourself that.” Kokichi interrupted, crossing his arms in an unamused manner.

“Let me finish- I’m not ashamed of you. I’m just— I’m not as open as you are-! You need to understand that I’m a different person with a different personality. And maybe you think I act condescending towards you because you give me reasons to. If you keep being rude to my friends, or lie the way you do, then obviously I’m going to shut you down-“

A pause.

“Why do you hate lies so much?”

Shuichi paused for a moment, the question and tone of voice almost taking him by surprise. “Wh— What?”

“Why the disdain for lies?” Kokichi repeated, his tone was calm. “There are so many possibilities when it comes to lies.. And there’s only one truth. And the truth isn’t always good, you know. Wouldn’t you rather live in a beautiful lie, than an ugly truth~? Wouldn’t you rather pretend our relationship is perfect the way it is instead of having this argument?”

“I.....”

“And why is it when I lie, suddenly it’s horrible? The most atrocious thing you’ve ever heard! But when Kaito lies, or Kayayday or Ms. Murder lie, it’s tooootally fine!”

“They don’t lie to me, that’s the difference.”

Kokichi laughs again. “And here I thought you were the _Ultimate Detective_..” he eyed his nails all-too intently, making sure to painfully drag out the title that Shuichi despised so much. “Your friends act soooooo supportive of you and your choices, but the second you leave the room they judge you for even involving yourself with me!”

“That- That’s not true, Kokichi. Kaede told me that you weren’t that bad, and that she-“

“Well, then that’s Kaede’s lie, isn’t it?” An almost evil smirk made it’s way on to Kokichi’s face, and for the first time in a long time, Shuichi almost saw him as a threat.  
“Not to mention dear Maki Roll, who you always say gives her quiet support and is nicer than she looks - until you leave the room and she strangles me half to death and says that I’m not good enough for you!”

Worried golden eyes widened. “I-Is that what happened—? You didn’t tell me that-“

“And Kaito’s lie!” Kokichi laughs once more, but sets a finger over his lips, which were curled into a smirk. “I’ll spare you that one. I’m not _that_ evil.”

Despite his curiosity about the so-called lie, Shuichi focused on the conflict at hand. It was enough having one complicated situation on his mind right now. He did not need another.  
“What.... What does this have to do with anything?”

“I’m proving a point. You only antagonize my lies, when you’re a bigger liar than I ever was.” Kokichi huffed, walking over to him. “For a detective who’s supposed to uncover nothing but the truth, you sure lie a lot!”

“I don’t lie.. Unless I don’t have a choice, or it helps an investigation or—“

“Ah! You’re a detective, of course, you’ll need evidence!” Kokichi snapped his fingers, pointing his index one at him. “O-kay, exhibit A! You lie about yourself, to yourself!”

“What does that even mea—“

“For example, you refuse to acknowledge that you have any sort of sleeping problems, despite having some of the worst insomnia I’ve ever seen! You think that your painfully low self-esteem is fine, but anyone with half a brain knows that’s bullshit, and you constantly nag me about healthy eating and being hydrated, but I barely see you even eat, let alone drink something that isn’t coffee.”

Shuichi hated what he was doing. He was ripping him apart, and presenting every flaw he had to his face. Not acknowledging his problems... did that count as lying?  
“......Kokichi-“

“Ah-Ah-Ah, you asked for your beloved truth, then you’re going to get it.” Kokichi silenced him harshly. “Exhibit B, half of your job is a lie! One second you’re fighting off bad guys and catching murderers and embezzlers, and the next you’re cuddling on the couch with a nation-wide criminal, hi, that’s me by the way!” He smiled tauntingly, patting himself on the head.

“But you—-“

“Exhibit C! You dare lie to me.” His tone fell flat once again. “You know how much I hate liars, yet you lie to me all the time. You’re so cruel, and I thought you were kind. You’re so dumb, when I thought you were smart. You were so truthful, and then you started to lie.”  
He tapped his chin in thought, violet eyes scanning the ceiling for a moment, before locking with anxious golden eyes.  
“How dare you. How dare you touch me and kiss me and take care of me one second, then cower and push me away the next. How could you insist discussing our relationship, then lead me one with obvious hints that you’re interested, then announce that our relationship is complicated to the world?”

That was it. That’s what upset him. That’s why he was so distant, he was keeping away as to not get hurt by Shuichi’s indecisiveness. He wanted to hurt Shuichi before Shuichi could hurt him.

“You.... You’re misunderstanding something....” Shuichi spoke up, his voice slightly shaken, laced with obvious anxiety.  
“Do you think I _hate_ you—?”

“Well, if you don’t like me, then you hate me. It’s process of elimination.”

“I don’t—“ He quickly blurted out. “I don’t hate you— I couldn’t possibly.. How could you think I hate you after everything I’ve done for you? To protect your identity and organization??”

“I can protect myself. And D.I.C.E. I don’t need your damn help.” The other spat with hostility in his voice.

“And when I took care of you when you were sick? You think I did that for no reason?”

“Christ, you’re doing it cause you’re bored. You were bored with your little missing persons and lost dog cases, and I was the most entertainment you’ve had in forever. You’re as fucked up as I am, Shuichi. You’re bored. Boredom makes you do things you thought you’d never do. Now that you have your dumb serial killer and Hope’s Peak bullshit you don’t need my case anymore. You don’t need me. You’re just like everyone else.” His voice almost turned into a whisper at his last sentences. “Maybe this really all was one big accident.” Those didn’t sound like his own words, Shuichi thought. It sounded like Kokichi had repeated something that was said to him before.

Though something in his heart hurt, Shuichi knew Kokichi well enough by now to know what he was doing. He was distancing himself yet again, all for the sake of not getting hurt. He was afraid, and was using threats and hostility to keep himself safe.  
“I see what you’re doing, you know... You’re.. You’re trying to get me to hate you... or to see why I should..” He took a step forward. Kokichi took one backwards.

“It’s not going to work.. I know you, Kokichi... And I really do care about you, and I do l........” he trailed off before those three magic words fell.  
He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Kokichi smirked for the first time in the past few minutes. “You can’t even say it. You see my point now?”

“I..... Well, it’s not like you can say it either.” Shuichi brought up his point, and he was confident in it too.

“........You idiot. I’ve been telling you that I loved you since the day we met. You can’t deny that.”  
And that rendered the detective speechless, because alas, he was right. He had said it over and over, on heist after heist. He had shown it with every kiss and every time he held onto Shuichi’s arm. He had shown it by calling him his love since the first day they spoke to each other. He always complimented him and told him how much he loved certain aspects of the detective. But Shuichi had only ever seen them as....  
Lies.

Kokichi huffed, turning around and making his way towards the door. He felt gross, being so honest for so long disgusted him. He had better things to do.  
“And for the record,” He opened the apartment’s door, Shuichi didn’t have it in himself to stop him.

“I really do love you.”

And with that, the door closed shut.

~🌺~

The ride to the murder scene was silent, aside from the whirring of the car along the highway. The rather kind driver had tried to make friendly small talk with Shuichi, but he shut him down instantly, feeling like the world’s biggest asshole. But what did he expect? After that fall out with Kokichi, he wanted to curl up in bed and take everything back. He wanted to chase after him and guide him into his arms, and assure him that he wasn’t going to leave him, and that he did l... ...didn’t hate him.  
Despite that, he also couldn’t help but be angry with him. Perhaps he had said some truths out of anger, but there was no need to be as harsh as he was. Calling out Shuichi’s flaws to his face and calling his friends liars seemed a bit overboard. He felt he had the right to be at least a bit angry.

When the car stopped in front of a seemingly old building, Shuichi felt a shiver go down his spine. The ambience of the place in a whole was... unsettling, to say the least.  
He stepped out of the car, giving a pitiful thank you to the driver, and let his eyes scan the building. It was run down, abandoned. Judging by the state of the wood and cracked glass panes, he estimated the building to be uninhabited for at least the past two decades or so. Seeing police cars already parked outside, and police tape around the entrance, it was obvious that his police department colleagues were already present.

After traversing underneath the police tape, Shuichi set his hands in his pockets, beginning to walk into the building. He felt the little hairpin in his right pocket, the one of the cartoon dice he wore yesterday. He was indeed wearing the trench coat that he had gotten from Kokichi. There was no particular reason, besides the fact he was getting bored of his usual pinstriped suit coat and felt he needed a change. Besides, he did enjoy the way the open coat fluttered behind him when he walked, it gave him a dramatic flare that he never knew he craved until now.

He made his way to the second floor of the building, and was greeted by a couple of his old colleagues. They led him to a rather eerie hallway, Shuichi wasn’t a fan of the way the floorboards creaked underneath every step he took. There were three doors in the hallway, each one looked the same. His colleagues pointed him towards the middle one, to which he nodded and entered.

He was happy that the body had long been removed, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle it right then. There was some dried blood on the floor, though, and some particles that caught his interest.

“Saihara, it’s good to see you.” A man’s voice spoke up, startling him slightly.

“A-Ah- Yeah, you too...” Shuichi nodded with a polite smile. It was none other than the one in charge of the Roman Numeral Case, he was an older fellow with a lot of experience. He had been on the case since the second murder.

“I must say, I’ve seen almost everyone one of his crime scenes in person but this one... Was rather strange.”

“Ah, could you tell me what’s out of the ordinary? That could be a good place for me to start..”

“Certainly.” The other nodded, adjusting his tie. “You’ve gone over the files, correct? Then you should know that this killer is rather.... extravagant. So for him to show up with such a.... basic crime scene is rather odd. It’s the first time he hasn’t left one of his exquisite displays or golden illustrations. Simply a bashed in head and a poorly drawn numeral on the victim’s leg.”

“I suppose it is rather strange for him to suddenly present with something so.... boring, per se.” Shuichi noted that mentally.

“There has been speculations that this is an imitation murder, but.....”

“But the exact number of killings aren’t released to the public.” The younger detective finished his sentence, nodding slightly. “It wouldn’t make sense because then the imitation killer wouldn’t have put the correct number on the victim.”

The man nodded in agreement. “That’s right. That was fast, you are truly exceptional.”

“Ah.. thanks... ..But, and I know this is an unpleasant thought but—- If someone who did have access to the number of murders was an imitation killer then..... it’s theoretically still possible..”

“..That is an unsettling thought. But yes, if it’s an option, then it shall remain open. Until we understand why this murder is so out of place, it’s possible.”

Shuichi nodded with a small smile. “Thank you.. I’ll look around a bit if that’s okay. And.. could you do me a favor and give me a list of every person on the case who has access to the classified information?”

“Certainly. Safe investigating.” The man nodded, walking off to the side of the room.

The first thing Shuichi did was look at the dried bloodstain, considering it was the most prominent piece of evidence in the room. The stain was quite large, because of the amount of blood within a skull, it matched up. There were a few splatter patterns that accompanied the big stain, meaning that the hit to the head was rather intense, or the victim had fallen after being hit, causing blood to splattered when she fell. Or both.

Shuichi hummed in thought, his brain was happy to think about something that wasn’t Kokichi for a while. Once the bloodstain became boring, his eyes looked for something else to take interest in, scanning the surrounding area of the ground. There were strange small clumps of white particles scattered amongst the ground. From afar, they could easily be mistaken for dust, but from up close... Shuichi wished he had a magnifying glass, like an old school detective. Perhaps he should add that to the bag of items he often carried to cases. He made sure to make a mental note.  
To make up for the lack of a magnifying glass, Shuichi lowered his head farther towards the ground to really have a look. Huh, shiny, almost crystal-like. Realization hit him.  
He used his finger to grab a couple of particles, and paying no mind to the confused eyes of his colleagues on him, he licked his finger. Unsanitary, maybe, but it wouldn’t kill him.

“Salt..” He mumbled, standing back on his feet. “Weird.”

“Uh, what-“ One of his colleagues spoke up in question, clearly confused at the sight of the detective licking potential evidence(?).

“It’s salt...” Shuichi spoke up, getting the attention of a couple of people. “I don’t really see how it connects to the murder but.. It’s there.” He let his hands fall to his sides as he began walking to a different part of the room. “It doesn’t look like it’s been there long. It seems as though it was put there deliberately by th— _agh—!_ ”  
His sentence was suddenly cut off by his own yelp upon feeling a floorboard beneath his foot give way. Before he knew it, he was on the floor. He was damn lucky to have decent reflexes that same day, he wasn’t sure if he could handle another head injury. Instead, he managed to catch himself on his hands - it still hurt, but it was better than his head.

“Are you okay?!” A colleague helped him up, concern lacing his voice as others watched with surprised expressions.

“Yeah, I’m fine.....” Shuichi looked down at his hands. Red, a little scraped, but otherwise okay.  
“We’re sorry- This place is so old, it’s falling apart, the floor’s probably the next to go-“

Shuichi looked towards the same floorboard that brought him down. He gently set a foot on it, putting some weight down on it to see it rise significantly.  
“Huh......? No.. This isn’t natural..” He stated, his eyes intently examining the plank. “It was sawed deliberately.”

“Sawed??” The older detective spoke up, coming over to see the board. It was indeed intentionally sawed, and it was a stroke of luck that no one else had stepped there during their investigation.

“.......hm..” Shuichi hummed slightly, he rummaged his shoulder bag for something for a couple of moments, before pulling out white chalk. He marked the unstable plank with an X, then took a step back.  
“..Is there a printed picture of the body where it was found?”

His answer was a paper being placed into his hand, the thanked the person and looked at the picture. It took him a moment to really let himself look, something in his chest churned upon seeing an old classmate’s dead body. Pushing the thought away, he focused more on the body’s location rather than the corpse itself.  
With that, he got to work. Holding the paper in one hand and the chalk in the other, he outlined the position of where the body was discovered. Much like done back in the day with chalk outlines and dead bodies, Shuichi liked the old school tactics. Once he was satisfied with the outlined position, he walked back to the marked plank, and put weight on it once more.  
The side of the plank that rose up (kind of like a seesaw, he thought) was within the area of the corpse.  
“Interesting........ Say, is there a way to get underneath the floorboards?”

“I think there’s one in the room beside this one but—-“

Shuichi was already out the door before he could pay heed to the warning posed at him. He walked to the room next door, spotting a narrow hole in the floorboards. It’d have to do.  
He carefully entered the area beneath the floor. It was kind of cramped, but otherwise had enough space to move freely. As he suspected, there was a way to get to the bottom of the next room.

Upon finding the loose floorboard from the new angle, something most definitely caught his interest.  
The dried blood at the end of the plank.

“Looks like we found our murder weapon..” Shuichi muttered, snapping a photo of the bloodstained board after comparing the stain to the photo of the bashed-in bloody head, it certainly matched up. He did another quick sweep of the area, to ensure he hadn’t missed anything, and quickly exited, beginning to feel a little claustrophobic in there.

Making his way back to the room with the crime scene, different theories invaded his mind.  
“I don’t understand.......” He spoke, though his colleagues listened, he was mostly speaking to himself.

“Why plan such a seemingly elaborate murder scheme, then just hit her on the head with a plank..? It doesn’t make sense..”

As his mind traversed through different thoughts, he found himself thinking back to earlier that morning. Truly, it was the worst time to do such a thing. The argument with Kokichi was irrelevant now. He had to focus on the case.  
But damn it, it was hard when Kokichi’s voice rang in his head. Bits and pieces of the argument invaded his mind all of a sudden, and a part of him wished he had answered Kokichi properly.

_You’re bored._  
“I know.”

_You don’t need me._  
“That’s not true...”

_You’re like everyone else.._  
“I swear, I’m not... I won't leave you."

_Maybe this whole thing was an accident._

Well, it’s only human to have accidents happen, isn’t it? Maybe it was. Maybe he didn’t mean to fall for him, or vice-versa, but it happened, and honestly? A lot of good came out of it. Because in reality, the thief brought Shuichi a lot of happiness, and fantastic experiences he’d never had had if it weren’t for him. Perhaps it was an accident. But that meant nothing to him.

Oh, or did it?

“What if it was an accident......?” Shuichi found himself mumbling aloud again.

“Sorry? An accident?” An officer questioned him, raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Think about it this way - the killer was clearly planning on doing something more.. extravagant, as usual. He was getting ready to execute a more complicated plan, but something may have went wrong.” Shuichi kneeled down, and lifted the plank out of it’s place. “Someone walked in on him.” He pointed at the chalk outline of the corpse. “So he had to make do, eliminate her as quick as possible to ensure there is no testimony.” He gently swung the plank at nothing in particular, imitating the way the killer would have had to do it.

“...That’s— Just a theory of course-“ He made sure to add.  
“I still don’t know how the salt plays in, or why they were both—“

_Buzz._

Shuichi huffed, clearly not in the mood to be interrupted in the middle of his rambling about his number of theories. But it was work (more police? Weird), so he couldn’t pass it up.  
“Excuse me..” He politely smiled, lightly pressing the green answer button.

“Saihara— Are you available?”

“Um... depends...?” He decided to answer. It was better to see what to prioritize at that moment.

“Ah, it’s just, we’re having an unexpected issue with the Phantom Thief—“

The what now? When on earth did he find the time to-  
“Things are getting slightly.. destructive.. So if you could come as soon as possible...”

“Say no more— I’m coming-“ He quickly answered, hanging up and dropping his phone into his pocket. He was quick to exit the building, more of Kokichi's voice replaying itself clearly in his mind.

_And for the record,_  
_I really do love you._


	17. Reminisce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi reminisces his and Shuichi’s first meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note, this entire chapter is a flashback! (until like the last two lines lol)   
> have a lovely day children

Honestly, he didn’t know much about the item he was stealing.

Kokichi just knew it was some fancy-shmancy katana looking weapon from a museum of Anthropology, it was something of significant worth, to say the least. This was a new test to his skill, he had planned out this heist almost obsessively, taking weeks upon weeks to perfect the plan and ensure that D.I.C.E could execute it without fault.

Their days of graffitiing clown faces, booby-trapping public spaces, and stealing from petty local businesses were over. It was time for the world to fear the name, the enigma that was the Phantom Thief.  
The leader smirked deviously at nothing in particular as he studied himself in the mirror. The white, straight jacket inspired outfit was tailored to his proportions just the way he liked it. Form fitting but slightly loose and airy. The metal clasps and colorful buttons were a fun touch, he thought, and the extravagant black cape that reached his heels was all he ever dreamed of. This is exactly what he wanted the Phantom Thief to be. Dramatic, flashy, and fun. He really couldn’t help the genuine smile that made it’s way onto his face when he set the black cap upon his head, he felt like a giddy child receiving the world’s best Christmas present.

“Boss?” A high-pitched voice rang. Ah, it was Mia. Her long brown hair bounced with her movements, and she was in a similar outfit, pure white with a slightly altered design. Kokichi couldn’t wait to commission more outfits.

“Mmyes?” He turned on his heel, marveling at the way his cape gracefully fluttered with his moments.

“You look great! Are you ready to go? Bunco and Kismet are already in the car.”

“Mhm!” He hummed, he was ready to walk out with her, not before looking at himself in the mirror one last time. He wished a farewell to Kokichi Ouma, for the time being.

Upon walking out of the room, he was immediately ambushed by Midnight, who pulled him into a tight hug. She was always the protective, mother-like type, it was annoying at times, but Kokichi had grown used to it.  
“Jeeeeez, I’m not being deployed to war or something.”

“I know that but-“ She let go of his figure, eying his outfit intently as she tucked a strand of pink behind her ear. “I know you’ve done heists before, but this one’s a lot bigger than our past exploits.. I’m just reminding you to be careful. And remember, if you can’t do it then it’s alright to back out-“

The leader’s laughter interrupted her rambling. “No way I’m backing out! I’ve been planning this for weeks, it’s gonna go perfectly.”  
She watched him with the raise of an eyebrow, waiting for him to add on to the statement.

He let out a puff of air. “..and I’ll be careful.” He rolled violet eyes with a smile, holding out his hand. “Pinky swear!”  
Midnight nodded defiantly, their fingers entwining for a brief moment and shaking, before pulling away.  
“Okay! Let’s go team! Just 20 minutes from now will be the best time to commence the heist, so let’s get going!”

Kokichi usually didn’t bring all of D.I.C.E to his heists, he found it was much more efficient to have a team with the necessary skills needed for specific heists. Each member of D.I.C.E had something they were exceptionally good at, for example, Macao was the muscle, given his tall and bulky stature (as amusing as his red afro seemed). Mia was stealthy, and had a knack for being awfully quiet. Midnight had efficient first aid skills and her cautiousness was occasionally useful. Kismet was a really good driver, Bunco was good at defense, Cho-han was educated in technology, and so on and so forth. It was Kokichi’s leadership that really held the group together, and his skill in coming up with and carrying out complicated plans. As well as his adoration for the spotlight, and flashiness. He thought if no one was there to see it, there was no reason to do anything, so he ensured his heists were as extravagant as possible.

“Good luck..” Despite the promise, a worried smile lingered on Midnight’s face. She held out the Supreme Leader’s mask to him. “Don’t forget this.”

“Obviously~” He poked out his tongue, grabbing the mask. Though they always had spare clown-faced masks in the getaway car, Kokichi preferred being consistent, and made sure to always wear the same mask to make himself known to the pathetic excuse for the police team that was always sent to their scenes. He huffed, they were boring. He hoped that these bigger heists they were beginning to exploit would really draw the attention of the police, and perhaps the Phantom Thief would find a worthy group of opponents.  
Or at least one person who wasn’t boring.

Once the group was piled into the car (today’s accompanying team was Mia, Bunco, Kismet, and Macao), they were on their way, shouting song lyrics off-key as they sped down the highway leading into Central Tokyo.  
As the car entered the city, the heist Kokichi had so obsessively planned flashed in his mind. He spent a whole week watching and studying the Museum building from inside and out. They were to enter through the electrical room on the building’s behind, and through there make their way to the back rooms, where they’d prepare the big confetti poppers they had gotten last week. It was a celebration after all, the official debut of the Phantom Thief, and Kokichi was going to make sure everyone knew it.  
The item he was planning to steal was some type of ancient weapon or whatnot, it was a gold-encrusted katana that looked rather old. It was encased with pretty fancy golden patterns and designs that resembled dragons, and looked like a rather valuable trinket. Kokichi figured it was a good start.

The car was parked in the Museum’s parking lot, Kokichi had calculated that this was the hour when the museum was the most populated, he wanted the biggest audience he could get.

The stealthy trip from the car to the back of the Museum was quite the haze, it was the most boring part of the heist after all. Kokichi was practically daydreaming as Mia, Kismet and Bunco set up the confetti poppers, while Macao prepared the extra surprise the leader was so graciously going to gift the police with. He marveled at how oh-so charitable he was.

“Ready, boss?" Mia’s voice interrupted his daydreaming, he nodded enthusiastically in reply. Though the mask covered their faces, they were all smiles, the excitement of the heist really getting to them.

“Let’s do this!” The leader gave the cue, and they were out.

The museum’s layout was rather exquisite, the top of the staircase was almost like a stage for Kokichi, it felt like fate. As he took his place on his “stage”, he admired the innocent bystanders, looking at scrolls and artifacts without a care in the world, they had no idea what was coming. The top of the staircase overlooked most of the Museum, on the second floor there were research facilities that the public didn’t have access to, and that floor was like a maze, Kokichi made sure he’d use that to his advantage later on.  
But for now, it was showtime.

With the flick of his wrist signaling his fellow D.I.C.E members, within seconds rang loud popping sounds that were loud enough to even startle Kokichi himself slightly. Strips of colorful confetti in all sorts of fun shades filled the air and fluttered down to the startled museum guests, most of them already looking towards the masked group.

“Connnnngratulations!!” Kokichi waved his gloved hand in the air, and spoke as loudly and energetically as he could. “All of you are so lucky! You have the honor of seeing the debut of the one and only, feared and soon-to-be renowned Phantom Thief!”

“What is the meaning of this??” A dark voice emerged from the crowd below, a tall, slim-figured man stepped towards the so-called stage. “Keheh...” he laughed coldly as he eyed the falling confetti. “What a mess....”

“Oh! You must be the owner of this fine establishment!” Kokichi smiled widely under his mask, despite it not being visible to the rest. “What a pleasure! Love all the knick-knacks!”

“What, or who, pray tell, are you?.." The museum’s owner hissed, chewing the words through his teeth that were invisible due to the mask he wore on the lower half of his face.  
Kokichi’s eyes lit up. “I’m so happy you asked!” He clasped gloved hands together, beginning to make his way down the stairs. His subordinates kept weary tabs on his location, ensuring he wasn’t too far from them.  
“I am the Phantom Thief!” He repeated once again, he wondered if he was intimidating enough yet. That sentence was a little flat, perhaps he should’ve added something else. Oh well, he made sure not to make the same mistake again. It was his first time as the Phantom Thief after all, and it’d take some time to find his character.

“You should be listening!” He pointed a finger at the taller male, who he approached without caution. “This is an exclusive show, and your museum is the first to witness me! You have front row seats!” Kokichi sneered, leaning on one of the glass display boxes. It was indeed the one that contained the gold-encrusted katana.  
“This is a nice doohickey!” He tapped the glass, eyes intently scanning the golden sheath. It must’ve been old, the gold paint or whatever it was looked ready to fall off.

“You mustn’t— These are artifacts that have been studied and collected for centuries. You cannot just waltz in and take what you please.”

The echo of police sirens rang from the outside. Kokichi hissed under his breath. “Aw man... And here I thought you were all having fun with me.. it’s awfully rude to invite more guests without my knowledge, you know.” He huffed. “Oh well. Kismet, do the honors?”

Kismet nodded, rolling up his sleeves that always hung over his hands. He pulled out one of the confetti poppers from earlier, and Kokichi could practically smell the crowd’s confusion.  
Kokichi had generously asked Miu to modify the poppers just a tad. So they may or may not have worked like guns in a way, only firearms that fired pellets and confetti, rather than boring old bullets. It should’ve been enough to break glass from a distance, but otherwise harmless, unless someone was unfortunate enough to be in the way of the glass.

Kokichi took a couple of steps backwards as Kismet aimed the confetti-gun at the glass display. Even with the owner’s mask, Kokichi could see the museum’s owner’s face contort into a troubled expression.  
“I’d take a step back if I were you~” The leader warned, waiting to give the OK to shoot. “We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt- I don’t tolerate violence you know!” He ignored the beads of sweat on the back of his neck when he heard the police sirens grow louder.  
To his luck, the owner stepped back, ushering the crowd to do the same. Kokichi smiled in appreciation, and raised a thumbs up towards his subordinate.

He used his cape as somewhat of a shield when glass flew in various directions, the impact was loud and pretty startling, but luckily, everyone was too distracted to notice Kokichi jump slightly when it hit. Confetti filled the air with fun colors that gave the room a new kind of life. Once the coast was clear, he let his cape fall back to flutter behind him, and walked over to the katana, studying it with interest.

“Hold on now-“ The museum’s owner spoke up once more, beginning to make it way towards the thief. Kokichi found this guy pretty creepy, if he were to be honest. The military-inspired uniform he wore was rather strange, and his voice was dark and husky, not to mention the fact that only his eyes were visible due to the mask over his mouth.  
When the other D.I.C.E members noticed him closing in on their leader, every confetti-gun was pointed at him instantaneously. Kismet was the only one who actually had a weaponized version of the contraption, but the public needn’t know that. The threat worked, the owner backed off with troubled eyes.

Kokichi took the chance to grab the katana, being rather careless with the weapon.  
“Ohh! Pretty! I feel like a samurai!” He exclaimed with child-like wonder as he twirled the sheathed katana in his hands. With the innocent tone he used, it was a wonder that he was a criminal.

His fun was quickly interrupted by the abrupt slamming of the museum doors and shouting, the police announcing themselves very clearly. Kokichi huffed, tying the katana to the side of his leg using one of the fluttering straps on his pants. He quickly made his way back to the stairs, joining his subordinates on the “stage”. He wanted to get a good look at who he was dealing with.  
Five men and one woman in police uniforms, armed, boring. Along with the group were another two men - or well, one man and a boy, he looked significantly younger than the male next to him, but Kokichi couldn’t really tell because of the cap that covered his features. They weren’t in police uniforms, detectives maybe? Kokichi sneered, how adorable, he’d have fun toying with them.

“Let me guess-“ He began, the group stopped at the bottom of the staircase to listen to what he had to say. He applauded their manners. “Are you gonna say: Put the weapon down! Or, put your hands up!” He shot finger guns at the group, giggling at his own impressions. “Boringggg! I don't have time for such clichés. It was kind of you to let me talk, but I must be on my way. I’m a really busy evil overlord you know! I’m scheduled to slaughter an entire orphanage after this. Ta-ta!” He snapped his fingers, it was time for his favorite part.  
The chase.

Hearing the leader’s signal, Macao pulled a switch out of his pocket - yet another modified contraption from Miu - and pressed it’s button. Almost instantly, the building began to fill with fog. An extremely enhanced fog machine, courtesy of the Ultimate Inventor herself, was placed in the ventilation system when they first arrived. It was harmless for the most part, it just made it very hard to see after the fog spread.

“Is it tag or hide n’ seek? You’ll never knowwww!” Kokichi laughed as he skipped up to the second floor, his comrades following close behind. He had already taken the liberty of memorizing the second floor’s layout by heart, so with it’s wonky floor plan and the additional fog, it’d take a while for the police to find them. The thief led his group through the maze-like halls, already knowing exactly where to head. The sounds of policemen’s footsteps faded as they stopped to discuss splitting up into teams of two, the rest was unheard, Kokichi and D.I.C.E long gone to the other side of the building’s floor.

They arrived at a window, Kokichi praised himself for ending up at the correct place as planned. Macao opened it, and he and Bunco got to work when it came to tying a rope that they could comfortably slide down to escape. The leader patted the katana slightly with a smile, he estimated it’d take at least ten minutes for the cops to track them down, and that was only the best case scenario. He looked down the hallway, which was hardly visible. He could only see a few feet in front of him, just the way he wanted.

One could imagine his surprise upon hearing timid footsteps approach.  
There was no way he had calculated incorrectly. He spent weeks planning out every detail and predicting the exact way this heist would go. There wasn’t a chance that they had just gotten lucky, right? He hadn’t made a mistake, god forbid, right?

A startled squeak from the figure that emerged in front of him. “A-Ah—- It’s you—“ The guy spoke, oh, it was the one who wore the cap. Who wears a cap indoors?  
“I-I mean— Stop right there—-“

Kokichi could only laugh with pity. The kid seemed pathetic, and no older than he was. What was he doing on a police team?  
“Now now, use your big-boy words detective!”

Golden eyes widened slightly, and a pale hand tugged the bill of his cap down. “Apprentice...” He corrected the thief, who took a mental note.

“I’m impressed! You found me in record time! Hurray! You win!” Kokichi threw his hands in the air dramatically. “How’d you do it?” His tone was mocking, but in reality he was genuinely curious to know how such a pathetic little thing tracked him down so quickly.

The apprentice-detective pointed towards the katana on Kokichi’s leg, the leader’s eyes followed his finger.  
“The weapon tracked gold residue on the ground while you ran..” He mumbled, eyes looking downwards. Kokichi was unsure if he was surprised or not, with how much this guy’s eyes were glued to the floor, of course he’d notice the barely-noticeable-unless-you-looked-really-hard specks of gold on the ground.

“Not bad. I totally meant to leave a trail of course, so I could meet you!” He smiled sweetly, despite it not being visible, it looked like the other male could tell. He also looked like he didn’t believe the lie.  
“It’s true!” Kokichi continued, raising his index finger up. “Only someone worthy of my acquaintance would notice the trail, and it was you~ Yippee!!”

The guy didn’t answer, all he could do was tug at the bill of his hat with a dumbfounded and nervous expression that Kokichi couldn’t see much of. Stupid cap.  
“So?? Gonna introduce yourself or am I gonna have to send one of my minions to get your name and credit card information for me?”

“H-Huh-?!”

“Just kidding! That was a lie! I don’t need your money, but I could totally get your name with the snap of my fingers, so you might as well tell me!”

“...I’m........Shuichi Saihara.....” The apprentice mumbled, staring at the ground beneath the thief. “..What about you?”

Kokichi smiled, he didn’t expect him to ask that so casually, he found it cute.  
“Oh! You’re adorable, Shuichi Saihara!” The thief giggled after repeating the name. “I’m the one and only Phantom Thief of course! You’re so polite to ask!”

“Phantom Thief.....?” Shuichi mumbled, his eyes finally rose a bit as he studied the leader’s bizarre outfit with curiosity.  
“That’s right, you got it! And this is Mia, Macao, Kismet and Bunco!” He motioned to each one upon mentioning their names. “Four of my ten thousand lovely subordinates!”

“Ten thousand.....? I don’t know of a group like this with ten thousand members....”

“Well you see, we’re really hush-hush, uncover, y’know? We’re allllll over the country, committing all sorts of evil deeds!”

“That..... sounds like a lie..” Shuichi pointed out, Kokichi pouted under the mask, readying his infamous crocodile tears.  
“Wahhhhh! Mister detective doesn’t believe me?! H-How rude—!”

The detective’s face fell slightly, and a guilty expression made it’s way onto his face. “Uh— S-Sorry—? Don’t.... be upset...?”  
The thief could only laugh in response, this guy was too cute. Kokichi was unsure if he was extremely smart or very gullible, or a strange mix of both?

“That’s a lie! I don’t care if you don’t believe me, but I am telling the truth!” He set his hands on his hips, scoffing.  
Shuichi finally tilted his head upwards to look at the clown mask, his face seemed to calm slightly at the fact that it wasn’t a real face. Kokichi finally snagged a good look at the detective’s face, and was satisfied by what he saw.  
Shuichi had curious, golden and perceptive eyes - Kokichi could see the intelligence, and almost the innocence in them. Much like himself, the detective's eyes had this craving for knowledge, that craving to know more. An admirable trait. His eyelashes, especially the bottom ones, were almost abnormally long, as if he wore mascara or something. Kokichi wasn’t close enough to tell. The detective’s soft lips were contorted into a nervous frown, the thief could tell he was looking for something to say by the way his lip quivered ever so slightly.

Kokichi decided that he wasn’t as boring as he had originally pinned him to be. He was unusually sympathetic towards a cornered criminal, and made no moves to attack or run away, or even coax him into returning the stolen item. He felt as though they were just... having a conversation.

It was cut short due to the approaching footsteps that belonged to the rest of the police team. Kokichi huffed in annoyance.  
“Ah well, that’s our cue!” He snapped gloved fingers, the other members of D.I.C.E beginning to escape out the window. “This was a nice chat! I look forward to our next meeting!”

“W-Wait—!” Shuichi called out as he watched the thief climb onto the window sill. “The katana—-“

“Sowwy~~ Finders keepers. I’ll make it up to you! Next time we’ll play something even more fun, okay? Make sure you entertain me too!” The thief shot a finger gun. “Bye bye, beloved detective!”  
With that, he was off.

“...........Beloved...?”

———————————

On the drive back to the base, as he listened to praise and comments from his comrades, Kokichi couldn’t help but think about that detective, Shuichi Saihara. It was rare to find someone who didn’t immediately bore him, so could he really be blamed? He stared at the gold residue on his gloved hands, marveling at the way the specks of tinted gold sparkled in the sunlight that occasionally shined through the car’s window. The color reminded him of the detective’s deep percipient eyes. He could tell that there was something there that really interested him, though still unsure of the details regarding that. Either way, he had a feeling they’d meet again, and he wanted to be prepared when they did.

The second they arrived at the base - or well, the backup base considering it was closer - Kokichi set the katana down carefully, he’d wait a couple of days before inconspicuously returning it to it’s place in the museum. He had no interest in money or looting at all, despite the police’s speculations.  
Once he removed the mask, hat and cape, he skipped to the end of the hallway, turning left into the last room. Cho-han and Midnight were hanging out there, unsurprisingly. The latter’s eyes widened upon seeing Kokichi, she attacked him with a hug.  
“Ko! How was it? Did it go alright? Everyone’s good?”

Kokichi’s answer was muffled and inaudible, due to his face being smushed up against Midnight’s shoulder. Mia, who had just entered the room along with the rest of the accompanying team, look the liberty of translating for him.  
“Lay it off Midnight, he’s not a little kid anymore, you can chill!”

“Well, someone here has to worry.”

Kokichi rolled his eyes in amusement, as they playfully bickered, he slipped out of her tight grip and made his way to the whiteboard in the corner of the room, dragging it closer to himself as he grabbed a black marker. "My performance was a little flat in the beginning, I think. Still figuring out the Phantom Thief. But we got the goods and made an entrance! You should've seen their faces when the confetti flew!" He giggled, Midnight nodded in approval. "But anyways," Kokichi began, tapping the tip of the marker against his chin.  
“Cho-Han! Do me a favor and search up a name for me!” He exclaimed, motioning towards the computer that Cho-han was so often in front of, he had a knack for tech. He nodded obediently, setting his fingers on the keyboard.

“Oh! Are you searching for that one guy who you talked to at the end?” Mia inquired, watching her boss write the apprentice detective’s name in big bold letters on the whiteboard.

“Oh, that detective kid..? He was a little, um,” Kismet began, tapping his chin with his hand, once again covered by the oversized sleeves.

“Pathetic? Wimpy? Gullible? Yep, I agree!” The leader narrowed his eyes slightly as he began to add bullet points under the name.  
 _-Not boring_  
 _-Low confidence (emo hat???)_  
“But there is something about him, isn’t there? He didn’t bore me one bit!”

“Name?” Cho-han questioned, ready to type.

“Shuichi Saihara.”

The sounds of the keyboard’s keys clacking echoed throughout the now silent room, the members of D.I.C.E intently watching the screen, while Kokichi focused on the whiteboard, tapping the marker against his chin.

“Found something.”

“Give me info on him!” Kokichi requested, when he turned to look at the screen, he was greeted by a photo of his beloved detective. Still with that stupid emo hat on, honestly, he had to do something about it some day.

“Shuichi Saihara. He’s 19,”

Kokichi hummed. “A little young to work with police, hm?” He let his comrade continue talking.

“He....” Cho-han paused for a moment to read a block of text on the screen. “..solved a murder singlehandedly, at the age of 16.”

Kokichi whistled with a smirk. “There it is, I knew he was special somehow. How impressive, beloved.”

“Ko, he’s not just a detective, he’s the uh, Ultimate Detective..”

The leader eyed the screen, locking his gaze on the title. “Well then, it must be fate. I knew there was something about him!”

“But boss, isn’t this... a problem?? I mean, you’ve heard of that other ultimate detective, right? She’s singlehandedly taken down dozens of organizations, and exposed a whole lotta scandals.... She’s relentless.. If this guy has the same title then-“

“He’s different.” Kokichi flatly replied, uncapping the marker and adding another bullet point above the rest.  
 _-Ultimate Detective !!_

“Can you really take that risk?”

The leader shrugged quietly. If he were honest, Saihara being different was just a gut feeling more than anything, but he was usually right when it came to these things. Besides, he was excited to play more games with him. He wanted to know more about him. He added one final bullet point.

_-Trustworthy?_

.  
.  
.  
.

Kokichi sighed at the memory that so suddenly invaded his mind. Sometimes he wished things were as simple as back then, but he shook his head, lowering his mask above his face, there was no time to reminisce now. He had a heist to commence.


End file.
